Hot Zone (AU)
by Imagine Anne Morgan
Summary: (A Walking Dead AU). An outbreak forces a small group of people to band together in order to survive. The group is broken until a leader emerges who is strong enough to do what has to be done in order to survive.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

He sat in his squad car eating his lunch. He went without a partner not only because he didn't trust his colleagues after their racist cult was exposed, but because he needed time alone. His stepson Officer McDaniels was also busy training a new recruit. He'd decided that it was time the police department brought in more officers and it wasn't just due to the lack of trust within the department. He and his wife Mary – who is the mayor of South Park – decided to boost numbers after they'd taken a heavy hit during the Nazi zombie outbreak. They've also lost cops to shootings, town wide riots, vampires and other disasters that have plagued the town over recent years. He shuddered and pushed the memories away. He hoped he wouldn't see another zombie, vampire or anything undead ever again.

He sighed with exasperation when he saw him across the street with his son and daughter in tow. His blood boiled whenever he saw Randy Marsh. Why couldn't he just leave them alone? Mary didn't want him and he wouldn't take the hint.

 _Not this ninny again! What's he doing here? I thought we locked him up._ Up until now Randy had been in an institution after he attacked his wife. He wanted to get him and he was close enough to his squad car to be in violation of the restraining order Mary had taken out against him. He sighed and didn't know what to do. He also didn't want to confront him because he didn't need Randy Marsh telling him he wasn't good enough for Mary.

His radio startled him and he dropped his Subway sandwich on the ground. "Oh camel poo!"

Yates alerted him to a robbery in progress at the bank. "All units! A robbery in progress at the bank. Suspects are armed! I repeat: suspects are armed!"

"Gee whiz!" He already knew who was responsible for the robbery. They'd robbed the bank before and whenever there was a callout to a robbery or a break in or a home invasion it was always the Holloways who were at fault.

The Holloways were his adopted daughter's birth parents and they lost custody of her after police and child services determined they were not fit to be parents. They also lost custody of Katherine's little brother Jacob who went to live with her Aunt Stella and Uncle Chip back in Australia where Katherine is from.

When he arrived police had already blocked the exits at the bank making escape for the Holloways difficult to say the least.

"Should we bring in the negotiator Sir?" Yates asked and waited for his orders.

"No." He shook his head. "They're completely surrounded and we'll get them before they start killing hostages."

"This'd be good material for _COPS_." Jake interjected enthusiastically. He was the new recruit and his stepson's new partner. He transferred from Denver after graduating from the police academy. He looked younger than his twenty-years. He had olive skin, brown eyes and brown hair.

"Stay focused Jake!" Alex hit him across the back of the head. His stepson wasn't too happy with his new partner when he met him and he bitched about it for weeks when he found out he was the one who had to mentor him.

"Aim your weapon at the robbers and make sure the safety's on. Gee whiz!" He snapped at Jake. Not even Alex was this green when he first joined the force.

"Would be good to get on _COPS_ though." He mumbled meekly after he finally decided to follow orders.

"Just shut up and do what we tell you!" Alex snapped at him to his surprise.

The recruit would soon learn that his stepson had his mother's fiery temper and he hadn't been around long enough to piss Mary off.

"Smell that?" Murphy whispered to Foley. They red his mind. "What is that?"

Foley nodded. "Fear."

"Wait until he gets a load of his mom." Mitch giggled. He stopped giggling when Alex glowered at them.

"Geez! You look like your mom!" They nervously backed away from him.

"Move in!" He ordered. Yates and Mitch banged the door down and they stormed the building.

"Freeze fuck face!" Officer McDaniels screamed at and aimed his gun at Dazza Holloway who was waving his weapon at hostages and demanding money.

Instead of complying despite being hopelessly outnumbered The Holloways opened fire. The hostages had been cleared and scurried away from the bank like frightened rats. Janet and Dazza Holloway randomly fired at officers.

Someone threw tear gas which spilled out and engulfed the room. Janet Holloway wasn't wearing a gas mask whereas her husband had one on.

"Ow! I'm hit!" Fortunately he was wearing a vest. He slumped against the wall and slid to the ground. Yates and his stepson rushed to his side as he plucked the bullet from his vest.

"Sir?" Yates checked him over. "Are you okay?"

"Son of a bitch shot me!" It pissed him off. He didn't need another reason to hate the Holloways. "Can you believe that?!"He removed the vest and lifted his shirt to reveal a big purple bruise. "Don't you dare say anything to my wife about this!"

"How are you planning on hiding that big purple bruise from mom?" Alex asked as she would eventually see it.

"Just tell her one of them kicked me. Then it won't be so bad." The last thing he wanted was for his wife to freak out. "I mean it Alexander! Don't tell her I got shot!"

"Okay! I won't say anything!" Alex swore he wouldn't mention this to his mother.

"You fucking assholes!" Dazza cried after his colleagues shot and killed Janet Holloway. "You killed my wife!" He aimed his weapon at him and fired.

Everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Her face went pale when Yates briefed her on the situation at the bank. "What the hell is wrong with those fucking people?!"

Janet and Dazza Holloway had been a problem since they moved to South Park. They accounted for most if not all armed robberies, break ins, ram raids, carjackings, petty theft and home invasions that were reported to police over the last few years. She was sick of the Holloways and the complaints she got form residents about them. She sighed heavily. She didn't know what she was going to say to Katherine.

Janet and Dazza Holloway were her adopted daughter's birth parents. They'd lost custody of her after the police and child services determined they were not fit to take care of her. Both Janet and Dazza were pronounced dead at the scene.

"How are we going to tell Kat?" Alex asked as other officers started bagging evidence and taking photos of the crime scene. "I know she hates them, but they were her parents."

He read her mind. There was no way of knowing how Kat would react to the news. Something was off and it wasn't just the fact that the Holloways were dead and she didn't know how to break the news to her daughter. Why was Yates briefing her on the situation and not Barbrady? "Where's George?"

"Ah? Mayor?" Yates began nervously.

The colour drained from her face and everything went black.

XXXX

"Shit!" He knew where she was. No one had seen her since Barbrady got shot during a bank robbery. He was pissed at Barbrady and the police department because Janet and Dazza Holloway were his friends. There was no time to think of such things and he could always hold a grudge later. He had to find her.

He had to find her and get the hell out. Soldiers were gunning people down in the hallways. People not them. "God damn it!"

He hid in a vacant room as soldiers with guns ran past randomly firing their weapons at anything that moved.

Everyone else had vacated to the woods, but not her. She was still here. Still in the hot zone because she refused to leave him. "God damn it Mary!"

He sought out a better hiding spot when he noticed him. He recognised the man as he'd been in South Park before. It was the same guy who attempted to blow up South Park and cover up the Nazi zombie outbreak.

"What is he doing here?" He whispered nervously to no one in particular.

"Contain the infection. We must stop the spread!" He demanded. The soldiers in his company split up to deal with the incoming threat.

"What about the blue-haired bitch? The mayor?" A soldier asked his superior.

"I'll deal with her personally." He took two soldiers with him and headed to Barbrady's room.

He followed them as soon as the corridor was clear of both soldiers and the undead. He peered into Barbrady's room through a window and saw him. The police chief was still out cold. Then he saw her. The Chief's grief stricken wife – the mayor of South Park. She stayed at his bedside refusing to move.

He sighed. Getting her out wasn't going to be easy. Her children, his ex-wife Sharon and son and daughter had evacuated along with other survivors. McDaniels remained in town.

"Get up!" He had to do something fast. Government Guy waved a gun in Mary's face. He wasn't playing games. He'd shoot Mary if she didn't comply. "Get up lady!"

She clung to her unconscious husband and angrily ordered them out. She wailed in distress when a soldier tried dragging her away at his superior's behest. "Get away from me!"

He became frustrated because he'd seen her fight. She'd even beaten the shit out of him more times than he cared to count. She didn't move, she didn't scream, she did nothing as Government Guy struck her across the face.

"On your knees!" Government Guy angled his gun at her face. She only complied when a solider forced her to the ground.

The sneaky squeaker fart was the best weapon in his arsenal. He used it without hesitation and they didn't have a chance to respond as they were all distracted. They were reduced to a crumpled heap before McDaniels who maintained the dumbfounded expression on her face.

"R-Randy?" She looked at him with big sad eyes. She was broken.

"Come on! They're shooting people in the hall you have to come!" He futilely tried pulling on one of her arms to get her to come with him.

"NO!" She pushed him away and resumed her position at her husband's bedside. "Leave me alone!"

"You have children Mary!" Reasoning with her was useless. He'd have to resort to drastic measures and he didn't care if she kicked him in the balls for it. He decided to give her one last chance. "You have to come with me it isn't safe here!"

"GET OUT!" she climbed on the bed and lay down next to her husband. She pressed her ear against his chest to hear his heart beat. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I won't leave him!"

The building shook, he could hear the rumble of machine gun fire in the distance, the moans and the screaming. They didn't have much time left. The lights flickered and electronics ceased to work. The machines Barbrady was hooked up to powered down and switched off. McDaniels panicked when she couldn't hear Barbrady's heartbeat anymore.

"N-no, no, no, no. NO!" She shook Barbrady in a desperate attempt to wake him. "Don't leave me! GEORGE!"

"I don't have time for this!" He grumbled. He gathered Mary up and hoisted her over his shoulder. He ignored her protests and pleas to put her down until they became too much to bare. He pinned her against the wall and tried to shake sense into her. "God damn it! What?!"

"They'll get him." She looked longingly at the entrance to her husband's room. They'd left the door open.

"God damn it!" He sighed heavily as he hoisted her back over his shoulder, locked the door to Barbrady's room and used a gurney as a barricade. He didn't hesitate to kill any soldiers or zombies in his way.

XXXX

"Mary?" He could hear her. He could feel her ear pressed against his chest while she listened for his heartbeat. His eyes slowly adjusted and his surroundings came into focus. "Mary?"

He tried to roll over, but he was weak. The clock on the wall had stopped so he didn't know the time; the flowers on his bedside table had gone brown and turned to crisp. He didn't know how long the gifts of chocolate, Twinkies, Snacky Cakes and Cheesy Poofs had been sitting there for. The machines he was hooked up to weren't working so he couldn't see his vitals.

"Mary?" He wondered where his wife was. She'd never leave him alone in a hospital. "Mary? Nurse?"

He called out and no reply came. He realised he was thirsty when his voice was hoarse. He tried pressing the button calling a nurse, but none of the electronics worked and no one came. Time stood frustratingly still and he wondered. Why was he in hospital alone. Where was Mary?

XXXX

They survived in the woods just outside the ruins of South Park. His older half brother Jimbo had access to guns, ammunition and survival supplies since he used to own the gun store in town with his war buddy Ned.

Their group had no leadership and he took over command while Mary lay crippled with grief. She spent most of her time in bed. Most people he would cast out for not pulling their weight. Everyone had a job to do whether it was hunting, fishing, cleaning, gathering firewood, keeping camp secure or cooking. Rules were strict in camp. Fires were kept low so they couldn't be seen from a distance, no one went anywhere alone, and kids had an adult chaperone whether or not they had superpowers.

"Where's your mom?" He asked when he spotted her. He used to hate this kid thinking she was an undisciplined little brat, but after helping to care for Mary's children she'd started to grow on him.

Katherine was sitting at an old picnic table and her cats slept at her feet. She was busy cleaning her gun and making blankets for people in camp from yarn he'd picked up on a supply run. "She's in the command tent."

When he found Mary she remained in bed coiled in foetal position sobbing heavily.

 _How much time does she need? She has to get over him eventually._ She was a mess, but it was much the same as everyone else. Without access to hot water no one in camp showered and everyone looked like crap. It'd been a few months since the turn. He wasn't the only guy in camp sporting a beard. Mary's hair had grown long and reached her shoulders without regular trips to the salon.

"Mary?" He sat beside her and shook her gently. She had her back to him. "You know you have to help with camp."

"I did your washing and cooked breakfast isn't that enough?!" She snapped without looking at him.

"I'm sorry Mary." He hid his frustration. He wanted her. He'd been trying since he brought her to camp, but she wouldn't let anyone near her. He rolled her over to face him. She didn't stop him.

"I just want my husband back!" She wailed. She had bags under her eyes and tears stained her cheeks.

"I know you miss him." He honestly didn't know how to make her feel better. He never understood what she saw in that idiot. It disgusted him to think of her letting him between her legs. He smirked. Barbrady was no longer in the way he turned her face towards him and kissed her slowly. To his surprise she didn't stop him.

XXXX

He made her sick to her stomach. His tongue caressed hers and his hands wandered. She shuddered and her skin crawled. She wanted him to stop, but she couldn't bring herself to fight back or cry out for help. She was broken, weak. An empty shell. She wanted to die when she gasped.

Randy took it as a sign to continue and slowly unbuttoned her blouse. She couldn't speak and it wasn't just because his tongue was in her mouth. She struggled to find her voice. She looked longingly at the entrance to the command tent. She wished Alex hadn't gone out to hunt that morning. He always came by to check on her. If he were still in camp he'd make this stop.

His hands caressed her chest as he exposed her breasts. She meekly pushed his shoulders bake in a futile attempt to make him stop. "I-I-I… can't."

"It's going to be okay Mary." He assured her with a kiss and gradually removed his clothes.

"R-Randy?" He was on top of her kissing her lips and neck. Taunting her. She didn't know how much more she could take. The guilt already overwhelmed her. Why? Why couldn't she stop herself doing something stupid? She knew how to fight back, but she lacked the will. She froze. _Oh God! Oh God no!_

"See?" He interrupted her train of thought when he spoke. "I told you everything was going to be okay."

Why? What was happening to her? It didn't make sense. Randy Marsh was repugnant. Why did she have to moan? It only egged him on.

He wasn't Barbrady. He could never be Barbrady. In that moment she wanted to die. She didn't know how she could face anyone in camp ever again. She hid under the blankets and coiled into a tight ball as Randy put his clothes back on.

"Sounds like they're back from their hunt." He left the tent without looking at her while she remained wallowing in guilt and shame. Sobbing uncontrollably.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

"Oh no!" he noticed Randy in camp smirking and prancing around like an idiot. He wanted to punch him when he approached. He hated the way he treated his mother and took control of leadership in camp. Randy had a makeshift room in the command tent right next to his mother. It bothered him every time he went into her room to see her. He'd lost count as to how many times he'd kicked Randy out.

"What did you get from the hunt?" He asked as his satisfied smirk became wider.

"Squirrels, rabbits and a deer." Something was off. Why was Randy so God Damn happy? He'd obviously accomplished something while he and Denny Hughes had been out hunting. "What did you do?"

"Your mom." He pranced around camp with a huge grin on his face. "Oh yeah! I scored!"

"Wait? What?" His face turned bright red with rage. There was no way. It wasn't true. He refused to believe him. "You're a fucking liar Marsh! She hates your guts! S-she wouldn't."

"Yuh ha! I totally did. Just now." Randy's victory dancing patronised him he wished he had his taser. "I got laid! Yeah!"

"What are you gloating about now?" Denny Hughes asked with irritation.

"Dad?" Stan and Shelly Marsh stood behind him. "What's going on?"

"I scored!" Randy continued prancing around camp. Despite the apocalypse he could still dance.

"Scored what?" His son asked with confusion.

"Mary. I scored with Mary" Randy announced to the survivors in earshot joyfully.

Jimbo slapped his younger half brother across the back of the head. "No you fucking didn't. You couldn't score with Mary with your life depended on it."

"Ask her if you don't believe me." Randy grinned. "We totally had sex just now."

"Jesus Christ!" Randy's children were horrified and he couldn't blame them.

He shuddered at the thought. It couldn't possibly be true, but Randy was obviously satisfied. He hoped to God it wasn't true. He sought out his mother. He had to confront her.

XXXX

"Oh Geez!" His body ached and his muscles were weak. He ripped his IV lines out and rolled out of bed. He lay on the ground for several minutes before he could conjure the will to sit up. "Nurse?!"

He was still thirsty and went straight to the bathroom. He drank straight from the tap to quench his thirst. He wished his snacks hadn't gone stale and mouldy because he was also hungry. His stomach growled loudly.

Where was Mary? Her blazer jacket was draped over the chair beside his bed. It still smelled like her perfume. Her purse was still on the ground lying on its side with the contents strewn across the floor. _Maybe she's getting coffee?_

Her cell phone battery was dead when he checked it. In her wallet he found a photo of him and her with their children. It was taken shortly after they adopted Katherine. He wondered where they were. "Mary?"

He found one of his jackets, put it on over his hospital gown and pocketed the photo he found. The door to his room was locked from the outside. He braced himself and thanked God the door had a class window. He shattered the glass with his fist and let himself out.

"M-Mary?! Katherine?! Peter?! Alex?!" He panicked when he saw the state of the hospital. Something happened here. Something bad. It explained why Mary wasn't with him. It explained why his family was gone. He clutched his wife's blazer jacket and purse and frantically sought out an escape route. He didn't like it. Something was horribly wrong. The hospital had been shot up, bullet holes covered the walls. He watched each step he took as shattered glass littered the floor and he had no shoes.

"What happened?" He asked no one in particular nervously. He didn't know which way to go until he found an exit sign.

Florescent lights hung dangerously from the ceiling as electrical wiring sparked. He was careful to avoid any exposed wiring. Large amounts of blood smeared the walls and blood pooled at the doors to some of the rooms he walked past. When he finally noticed the decapitated bodies and the double doors bolted shut warning anyone they were dead inside he knew what had happened.

"Gee whiz! Not this again!" He sighed with exasperation because he hoped he'd never see another vampire, zombie or anything else undead ever again. He thought that Mary may be helping to contain the infection. She was the mayor of South Park and she usually led the emergency operations whenever there was a disaster like this in town.

He had to get out. He didn't want to stay in the hospital anymore. He found the reception area and frantically searched the draws for a flashlight. Nothing. All he found were matches. They'd have to do as he needed them to get through the emergency exit. He checked Mary's purse. She usually kept a gun on her when he gave her extra security. Nothing. Not even pepper spray. He wished he had his gun. He leaned against the wall for a brief moment as he was still weak. He didn't know how long he'd been out for or how long his family were gone for. He missed Mary. He wished she were with him.

XXXX

"Mom? She recoiled under blankets too ashamed to face him. She knew what this was going to be about. Alex had returned from his hunt and he was pissed. She felt like an idiot for thinking Randy would keep his mouth shut about it. He'd finally succeeded in having sex with her, so of course he'd gloat about it to anyone who'd listen.

She didn't know how she was going to explain it to him or anyone else. Guilt overwhelmed her. She felt dirty and used and it wasn't just because she still hadn't cleaned herself up. She cringed. What would Barbrady think if he were still with her?

"Mom?!" He demanded answers. "The fuck is this I'm hearing about you and Randy Marsh?!"

"I-I…" She trailed off. She couldn't speak. She didn't want to admit what she'd just done to herself much less anyone else. Certainly not him.

"You didn't actually have sex with him like he said did you?!" He was both horrified and disappointed. She couldn't stand it.

"What have I done?!" She wailed. Her sobs muffled as she buried her face in her pillows.

His face went green and he vomited with disgust which only made her feel worse. He sat beside her and rolled her over to face him. She knew by looking at him that he didn't want it to be true. "You didn't! Tell me you didn't!"

She couldn't tell him what he wanted to hear. She couldn't even lie to herself. As much as she hated to admit it. It was true. She just had sex with Randy Marsh despite the fact she swore she never would even if re-populating the human race depended on it. She started sobbing again. Her body shaking. "I-I'm sorry."

"What happened to you? You used to be feisty. You never used to take his crap. Mom?!" He tried shaking sense into her.

"I just want my husband back!" She wailed in distress. She couldn't take it. Even though she had responsibilities to her children she couldn't stand to be without him. She wanted Barbrady. There was no one else. Now she had nothing. Two husbands gone. It wasn't fair.

"I'm going to get that son of a bitch!" She looked up and noticed his face had turned bright red with rage.

"What?" She took the blanket back from him and wrapped it around her.

"Son of a bitch!" Alex clamoured enraged. "He used your grief against you!"

She was disgusted with herself. Alex was right. Randy only succeeded in getting what he wanted from her because he got to her when she was weak and vulnerable. She didn't have the emotional strength to make him stop.

"Please?" She was too embarrassed, but she needed help. "Please keep him away from me." She was too broken to stand up for herself. Randy had a makeshift room next to hers. She shuddered at the thought of sharing her bed with him again. "I can't do this again."

Alex left her with her second late husband's old dog Barney while he went to deal with Randy Marsh. She knew there'd be a fight between them. She didn't care. Randy deserved more than a punch to the face.

XXXX

He fumbled with the matches trying to escape the hospital. The stairwell was so dark he couldn't even see his hand in front of his face.

"Oh camel poo!" He either dropped his matches or they burned his fingers when they ran out. He hoped there wasn't much further to go because he didn't want to run into anything in the dark. He had to get out. He had to go to city hall, the manor he shared with his wife and kids. He had to find his family. He had to know if they were alive.

It was doubtful given everything he'd already seen. But, he hoped he'd find her at city hall running the town as she always did. He just wanted to find her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Nothing. She wasn't there like he hoped she was. City Hall was deserted. He checked around for any weapons she may have left behind. She usually kept a hand gun in her desk. He did find a letter opener that would work if he came across anything. He knew he would have to make a stop at the station. He just hoped his colleagues hadn't taken all the guns. The tear gas and riot gear would also be useful to him. He had a feeling there'd be nothing left because his colleagues – including his stepson Officer Alex McDaniels – would have cleared the weapons stash in order to contain the infection.

He noticed tanks and a military blockade in town, so he assumed it was a serious outbreak. Mary must've called the National Guard to help since she had them on speed dial. He hoped Mary wasn't infected. They were both Nazi zombies briefly during the last zombie outbreak.

Nothing. No one. Not even the undead. South Park was a ghost town. He ran to the manor. If he couldn't find them there he hoped he could find some clue as to where they were. He needed a change of clothes at least. All he wore was a jacket and a hospital gown. His legs were exposed and he felt uncomfortable walking in bare feet.

He was cautious. The front door to the manor house he shared with Mary and his children was wide open. He remembered the day he moved in like it was yesterday. He remembered clearly putting Randy Marsh in the mud. It was one of the best days of his life along with his wedding day, the birth of his little children and the day he and his wife adopted Katherine.

"Mary? Katherine? Peter? Kids?" He ran through the manor house looking for them even though he didn't have much energy. "Mary?"

The house was empty. Abandoned just the way he left it before going to work the day he got shot. He went upstairs to the master bedroom he shared with Mary and packed a small bag of clothes.

"Oh camel poo!" He couldn't shower at the house. There was no running water. "Katherine?"

"I got him dad!" It was the last voice he heard before he passed out. His head throbbing.

XXXX

"Officer Barbrady?" His head ached. He didn't know where he was. He was relieved to see someone he knew. It was only Steven Black. His family and the Blacks were among the richest families in town. Their house was almost as big as Mary's manor.

"W-what's going on?" His head throbbed. The room span. He was dazed and confused. He couldn't move his arms.

"Did you get bit?" Steven demanded as he held a knife to his throat.

"W-what?" He didn't know what was going on. He hoped it was all a bad dream. He hoped he'd wake up in the hospital with Mary and his children around him. He quickly realised he was restrained to the bed.

"I ain't playing games." Steven angled the knife at his face. He didn't understand his hostility towards him. "Did you get bit?"

"Bit?" He remembered everything. The ruined hospital, the deserted town and his frantic search for his family.

"He's not bit is he dad?" Token asked. The boy remained hidden behind his father. He knew Token as he was one of Katherine's little friends.

"Did you get bit?" Steven asked again.

"N-no." He mumbled nervously and noticed they'd changed his bandages. "Shot. I got shot."

"Just the gun shot?" Steven asked again with the same hostility.

"My room at the hospital was locked. I just got shot." Steven cut his ropes freeing him. "This isn't the Nazi zombie thing again is it?"

"No. This one's different." Steven explained that it was a global outbreak. He also said that he'd changed his bandages and that's why he needed to know if he'd been bitten.

"Where's Mary?" He wanted to find her. He tried sitting up so he could get out of bed. He was still weak and achy. He groaned. He could hardly get out of bed.

"You ain't going nowhere until you have a good rest Barbrady." Steven made Token get him some water. "When did you wake up?"

It would've been common knowledge. The shooting would've made the news because he was the police chief of South Park. "T-today? I think." He honestly didn't know. "How long have I been asleep here?"

"A day and a half." Token replied and gave him water, which he badly needed. "Sorry I hit you. I thought you were one of them."

"It's okay kid." He was still exhausted. He hoped recovery wouldn't take too long. He just wanted to be with his family. He just wanted to hold his wife in his arms.

"You get some rest Barbrady." Steven Black helped him get comfortable and Token brought a pitcher of water to his bedside. "Come on out when you're able."

XXXX

"Mary?" She was still in bed. His voice behind her made her cringe. What did he want from her now?

"What?" She didn't want to get out of bed. She didn't want him in the command tent much less in the makeshift room next to hers. She didn't even want to look at him because looking at him would mean facing her mistake.

"Mary?" He made her face him and he dropped a pile of dirty clothes in her lap to wash. "You know the rules. You have to help with camp. You can't lie around in bed all day. Everyone contributes. That includes you."

She was still too weak to stand up for herself. Randy wore a black eye that was swollen shut. Alex must've beaten him up the other day. She shuddered as he kissed her. She couldn't do this again. It was bad enough he treated her like his maid and expected her to do everything for him.

"What did I tell you the other day asshole?!" Alex snapped with hostility.

"You do realise I'm in charge here!" He sat next to her on the bed and put his arm around her as he lectured Alex about the hierarchy in camp. He was in charge with Jimbo as second in command while Blake who was a Caucasian male in his forties, had blonde hair and blue eyes with a medium build – the groups go to guy for supply runs – was on a supply run with other members of their group. Blake, Sergeant Yates, Officer Knowles, Alex's wife Keisha (Knowles' sister), Liane Cartman and Bob Johnson had left for Denver for a supply run.

"Get your hands off my mother you son of a bitch!" Alex warned Randy to back off. She thanked God he was there. She didn't want to be alone with Randy Marsh.

Instead of complying he kissed her again just to antagonise Alex. "How about I cast you out instead Wonderboy?"

"Who died and put you in charge?" Her son clenched his fists threatening to punch Randy.

Jimbo Kern defused their argument. "We should do a perimeter check and organise another supply run." He suggested.

Alex sighed heavily and followed Jimbo out. When they were gone it was just her and Randy Marsh. "I'll move my stuff in here tonight."

She slumped after he left the tent. She didn't want him. She never wanted him. Why couldn't he just take the hint?

XXXX

It was a hot afternoon and she sat by the river bank with a bucket of soapy water between her legs, a pile of dirty clothes next to her and her late husband's old dog kept her company. She wished she had the will to stand up for herself. If she did she'd be the one running camp, Randy would be sleeping outside without a tent and she wouldn't be sitting in the hot sun doing his laundry, which was a job that should've been allocated to Sharon anyway since she was washing clothes that belonged to Randy's children. Sharon Marsh stood over her demanding an explanation.

"How dare you?! How dare you sleep with my ex husband!" She could tell by the look on her face that she'd lost one of the last friends she had because of what she did.

"S-Sharon?" She mumbled nervously and dropped the shirt she was scrubbing in her bucket of water. She shrank away from Sharon whose face was bright red with rage as she glowered at her. "I-I'm sorry… I didn't…"

"I thought you were my friend! I was patching things up with Randy for the sake of my kids _you_ knew that!" Sharon's hands clenched into fists at her side.

"I-I didn't… didn't want to." She mumbled meekly. She didn't know what else to say. She didn't exactly stop him and she didn't think Sharon knew of her husband's intentions to move into her room in the command tent with her. Not that she wanted him to.

"That's not what Randy said." Sharon aimed a powerful slap to her face. "You had betrayed be slut!"

Sharon stormed off in an angry huff. She clutched her cheek as her face stung. She couldn't will the tears to stop.

XXXX

"There are more of them out there than usual." Steven said as he served dinner for them. "Noise draws them in and now they're all over the place."

"Is this like the Nazi kind or the regular kind when we had that small outbreak here?" He asked trying to peak out through the curtains so he could see outside. Steven and Token had boarded up the windows and the front and back doors and blacked out the windows with thick blankets. They hunkered down at the Black's house.

"The regular kind. I don't think fixing this is as simple as destroying the zombie leader or farting on zombie Kenny's balls." Token added as they all remembered previous zombie attacks on the town.

"Have either of you seen Mary or my kids?" He asked sombrely. He missed them. He just wanted to be with his family.

"We didn't really see anyone." Steven explained. "You would not believe the panic. The streets weren't fit to be on. It wasn't like a normal riot. I can't tell you how many cops went down trying to contain this thing."

"Yates? Alex?" He asked about his officers and his stepson.

"They're in Denver I bet." Token told him about a refugee centre in Denver. "Plus they got that disease place."

"Disease place?" He didn't know what Token was talking about.

"Centre for disease control. I don't know about Officer McDaniels, but Yates was alive last time I saw him." Steven explained the chaos. "We just hunkered down and lay low for a while. Linda…" He fought back tears. "S-she's one of them."

He remembered Linda Black. She was friends with Mary and they used to bring Katherine here for Freedom Pals meetings and slumber parties with the other children. He hoped the same hadn't happened to Mary or any of his children. He didn't think he could take it if he did. "I'm sorry about Linda."

"It's her." Token ran from the door and sobbed into a pillow.

He looked through the peep hole and saw Linda. She was nothing more than a mindless shell. The person she once was was gone.

"When?" He felt bad asking too many questions about it when they were both grieving her.

"Two days ago. The fever killed her first. Then… you know… that." Steven pointed to the doorhandle that jiggled. Token's sobs were muffled as his father urged them all to be quiet.

He could see it was Linda trying to get in. He only became more determined to find his own family. He needed them. He needed to know if they were safe. "Are you moving on from this place?"

"Haven't worked up to it yet. Token still needs to learn to shoot. I can't help you I'm sorry."

He understood. They needed time.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

They cleaned out what was left in the station. To his surprise there were plenty of weapons remaining. He thought they would have cleared them all out. The station had hot water so he along with Steven and Token were able to shower. Something they badly needed. He'd never appreciated hot water like this before. It felt good to be clean again.

After they were clean he put Jake his new recruit down and parted ways. He gave Steven a radio to keep in contact in case he changed his mind. He hoped the refugee centre wasn't too good to be true. He hoped his family were there and they were safe. He couldn't stand to be without them.

XXXX

She volunteered to go on night watch. Randy moved into her room and she wasn't okay with it. She sighed because she knew she needed help with this. She didn't get any sleep with him always around her. He wouldn't leave her alone. She didn't want to share her bed with him and she certainly didn't want to have sex with him again. It was bad enough Sharon hated her for what happened, but gossip was spreading through camp and women like Laura Tucker, Maggie Yates, Linda Stotch and Debbie Testaburger were calling her a slut.

"Mayor?" She jumped out of her skin because she thought she was alone. She was relieved it was only Denny Hughes.

"It's only you Denny." Denny was one of the few people she could trust in camp even before all this. She hoped he wouldn't bring up the rumours floating around camp. She didn't want to talk about it. Not even with her best friend.

"Are you okay Mary?" He asked with concern. He was one of the few people in camp who not only treated her with respect, but didn't act like they didn't know what to do with her or how to talk to her.

She drooped. It was bad enough her heart ached with grief, but now she had to live with the guilt of what she'd done with Randy. "No."

"You didn't?" Like Alex before him he didn't want it to be true.

"I need help." She wanted Randy gone from the command tent. She was exhausted and refused to go to her room with Randy there.

"What is it Mary?" Denny asked with concern.

XXXX

"Oh camel Poo!" His squad car ran out of gas. He just wanted to find his family. It would take days to walk to Denver. A horse in a paddock nearby whinnied and snorted. He was surprised nothing had eaten him. Horses are prey animals after all.

He hoped he could pull this off. He wasn't a very good rider. His wife and daughter had horses and before the turn Katherine was winning awards in dressage, show jumping and cross country competitions along with Mary who also competed.

"Oh come on!" His attempts to catch the horse failed multiple times leaving him out of breath. "You don't want to stay here and get eaten do you?"

When the horse stopped in his tracks he was able to catch him. He knew how to put the bridle and saddle on as he'd seen Katherine and Mary do it countless times whenever they went riding.

"Oh geez!" The horse bolted once free from the confines of his paddock. He could feel his body slanting sideways, but somehow he managed to hoist himself back in the saddle. The ride was awkward for him to say the least.

XXXX

He could hear the whirring before he saw it. He hoped he could catch up with the helicopter because he knew the pilot hadn't seen him. He urged the horse forward at a gallop and desperately tried to get the pilot's attention.

"Oh jeez!" Dread filled him and his heart jumped in his throat. They eyed him hungrily and it was more than he could possibly out run. The undead swarmed him and knocked him from his horse. He dropped his bag of guns and scurried to safety in a tank nearby. He took his hearing aide out briefly after putting down a walker that tried to bite him. When the ringing subsided the radio in the tank crackled. He was surprised it still worked.

"Hey you?" He didn't recognise the voice. "You in the tank? Are you cosy in there?"

He wasn't. It was hot in the tank, his clean shirt wet with sweat and sweat dripped down his face. He struggled to crawl to the radio so he could reply.

"Are you alive in there?" The voice on the radio asked.

"W-who are you?" He wasn't sure if he could trust this person, but if he wanted to get out alive he didn't have a choice.

"There's no time for that!" The voice shouted at him. "You haven't got much time before they swarm that tank again. They're distracted by the feeding frenzy where the horse went down."

"Oh jeez!" He did exactly what the guy told him to do. He shot the walker trying to climb the tank and crashed into a young man he didn't know in the alley.

"Come on!" He urged him to follow him. He had back up as they fled to the safety of a department store. He'd never seen this man before. He was young, Caucasian, blonde hair and blue eyes and medium build.

"Bob?" He recognised Johnson when he took his mask off. He knew Officer Knowles as they worked together and Knowles' sister Keisha married his stepson Alex McDaniels.

"Have you seen Mary?" He asked desperately. He hoped she was in the group with them.

"Boy won't she be glad to see you Barbrady." Bob assured him she was still alive.

"She's here?" He was delighted. He just wanted to hold her again.

"We have a few people back at camp. Mary didn't come this time." Johnson explained.

"But, she's alive?" He had to know for sure.

"The camp is secure." Knowles added. "We'll head back when we figure out how we're getting out of here."

They dragged Barbrady to the front of the shop they were hiding out in. An undead horde pushed against the glass trying to break in.

"You just rang the dinner bell George!" He was surprised to see so many people he knew. He took the gun off Liane Cartman who pointed it at his face.

"You didn't turn the safety on." He didn't give the gun back to her until he was sure she wouldn't shoot him.

Gun shots rang out and people became nervous. "That isn't Harrison is it?" Liane asked apprehensively as the rushed upstairs.

Sure enough Yates was making an idiot out of himself screaming and shooting rotting walking corpses below. The noise only drew more of them in.

"Sir?" He was just as surprised as he was when he saw him. Steven Black was right. Yates was still alive.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Knowles shouted at Yates with hostility. "You trying to get us killed and bring more of them here?!"

"I out rank you Knowles!" He didn't understand what happened to Yates. He was power tripping. "You don't get to tell me what to do!"

"What you gonna do?" Knowles stood his ground. "Feed me to your elder God?! Little kids beat the shit out of you!" Harrison clearly didn't appreciate the reminder or the sniggering at his expense. He flipped Knowles off who returned the favour.

"What's got into you any way Harrison?" He was just starting to regain his trust in his best friend, but he lost it all again because of Harrison's currently attitude.

"He pretty much went back to racist asshole when Randy Marsh took over leadership in camp." Keisha explained with disgust.

He was glad to see her. He wasn't certain that anyone in his family were alive. "Who died and put that ninny in charge?"

"Wow!" The guy who helped free him from the tank was just as disgusted with Yates' attitude as everyone else. "So, he was like this before and Randy Marsh always an asshole?"

"Randy got onto the member berries wine Blake." Johnson explained.

"Member berries?" Blake cocked his brow not knowing what they were talking about.

The fighting between Yates and Knowles escalated before he had a chance to thank Blake for rescuing him. He quickly defused the fight, tackled Yates and cuffed him to the roof top. He had to set things straight. Yates wasn't in charge and neither was Randy Marsh.

"You're not in charge! You don't get to treat people like crap. We're not friends anymore Harrison and if this was before you'd be fired!" He shouted in Harrison's face.

"He was chief of South Park Police before all this." Liane told Blake who apparently still didn't know them very well.

"Wasn't Mary your Mayor?" He asked with confusion. He was obviously part of the group long enough to know his wife by name. He was shocked when they confirmed it. "Isn't that a scandal?"

"We already knew for a long time." Liane said to Blake's surprise.

"That's only because President Garrison wouldn't keep his mouth shut and Marsh tried to blackmail my wife." He was angrily shaking his former best friend when he explained the situation.

"Chef told Garrison and Mackey after the last zombie invasion we had." Freddie added as Barbrady punched Yates in the face.

"Wait? You've all seen these dead fucks before?" Blake didn't realise there had been small outbreaks before.

"We had Nazi zombies too." Johnson recalled the UFO crash.

"Don't remind me." He didn't want to remember being one of them. "Why is Randy in charge of the camp?" He demanded.

"He put himself in charge." Foley explained to his disgust.

"I vote to overrule Randy and put someone else in charge." Blake was disgusted and instantly wanted a change in the camps leadership just like everyone else did. "Someone competent and who isn't a complete pervert. It should be Mary, but she's crippled with grief."

They all looked to him. "You were in charge alongside Mary before all this." Foley added.

"Stop kissing ass Rookie and get me out of these cuffs!" Foley ignored Yates and he punched him in the face.

"You assholes and that stupid elder god. My wife got possessed because of that!" He punched Yates in the face to shut him up.

"Elder god? Possessed? Nazi zombies? UFOs?" Blake was so confused and looked out of place. He wasn't from South Park.

Johnson shrugged it off like it was normal. "It's a South Park thing."

"How do we get out of here?" Freddie alerted them to the situation as some of the undead had broken past the first barrier.

He spotted a construction site across the road. "Those trucks, but we need a distraction. I don't want to get eaten."

"Guts?" Blake suggested. "I only stayed safe from a horde because I had walker guts all over me. They think you're one of them if you don't smell like food."

It was a good idea. He didn't know why he didn't think of it. They decided to run with it. Their careful planning drowned Yates out as he protested the unfairness of his predicament.

XXXX

She tried to leave the room when she found him sitting on her bed waiting for her. She didn't want to. She wasn't okay with him in her space. She wanted him gone.

He got up and blocked the exit and made her sit on the bed next to him.

"Stop!" He moved in for a kiss and she pushed him back. This wasn't going to happen again. She felt bad enough it happened the first time. He didn't listen and proceeded to feel her up. "Stop… Randy! I said stop!"

"You liked it the other day." A sinister smirk broadened across his face when he reminded her. Reminded her that she didn't stop him. "You let me."

"Get off me!" She shrieked when he was on top of her. She dug her nails into his neck when he tore her top. "I don't want you!"

"Yes you do." He made another attempt to kiss her. She cringed when his tongue was in her mouth.

"Get your hands off my mother you son of a bitch!" She was relieved to see him. Her son pulled Randy away from her and held him by his throat. "She said no!"

Randy fought back and a quick punch in the stomach caused Alex to loosen his grip on Randy's neck "I'm in charge of camp! I want you gone by tomorrow!"

She hit Randy hard when he tried to kiss her again. "If anyone should be cast out it's you!" She shrieked.

"I concur." Johnson and the others had returned from their supply run in Denver. She was relieved to see them.

"W-what?" Randy's face turned white when they challenged his superiority in camp.

"We decided in Denver that Mary and George should be in charge." Blake said to Randy's horror.

"W-what?" It couldn't be. There was only one George she knew and he'd probably zombified and wandered off from the hospital by now.

"No, no, no! It can't be!" They were shocked. It was him. Randy Marsh wasn't exactly happy to see him challenging his authority. But it was him. George Barbrady was back and he was alive.

"G-George?!" Tears of joy streamed down her face. She couldn't believe it. She hoped it weren't a dream. She followed them out when Barbrady grabbed Randy by the scruff of his shirt and dragged him out.

"I told you before to stay away from my wife!" A crowd had gathered around them all anticipating a fight. Everyone was not only shocked to see Barbrady in camp, but they were shocked he was alive. Like her they all thought he was dead.

"She let me!" Randy antagonised Barbrady by gloating about her mistake.

Alex explained Randy had used her grief against her to get what he wanted. She was shocked when her husband wasn't angry at her. He focused all his rage on Randy. In her mind Randy deserved the karma coming his way.

XXXX

She'd seen Barbrady fight before. She remembered the day she gave George his job back. He put Randy in the mud. Tensions and hostility boiled. There was always going to be another fight between them. It was only a matter of time as their feud escalated. It was mostly due to the fact that Barbrady was sick of Randy reminding him he wasn't good enough for her or that he wasn't progressive enough for South Park.

The two men exchanged blows in a fit of masculine feud rage. George pummelled Randy. She just wanted Randy gone. She didn't care how. She was sick of the harassment even before the turn, she hated the way he looked at her, she hated the way he treated his own family while he tried to get her back on his side. She hated the monster she created within him after letting him bring whole foods to town. He was worse since the turn especially since the usual rules and laws no longer applied. Her undermined her and put himself in charge while she was grieving for a husband she thought was dead.

Barbrady was on her side. He would never treat her like crap or make her do anything she didn't want to do. He was the one who brought her out of her depression after her first husband died. He wasn't just her lover. Barbrady was her best friend and the only man she wanted.

"Are you finished?" Barbrady snapped at Randy whose face was bruised and bloodied. Randy spat teeth out during the fight. Both men were out of breath. Barbrady aimed his fist at Randy's battered face.

"I-I'm finished." Randy mumbled in defeat.

"Barbrady's in charge now. Randy is no longer the leader of our group." Blake announced to the survivors surrounding them.

They all seemed to agree with the decision like she did. It was about time too. She didn't know how much more of Randy's leadership she could take.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

She couldn't believe it. He was back, he was alive and she no longer had to lie to her little ones whenever they asked where their daddy was. As delighted as she was to see him she couldn't get the guilt monkey off her back. It was worse than firing him. She didn't know what to do. He knew now and she knew he was angry because he'd just pummelled Randy to a pulp for it.

"We need to talk. In private." They stood in silence until she led him to her room in the command tent. She could tell he wasn't happy to see Randy's belongings in her space.

"I-I…" She fought back tears. She made a mistake, but she didn't want to lose him.

"What happened with Randy?" He needed to hear it from her. She couldn't hide the truth from him.

She bowed her head in shame. "W-we had sex. I-I couldn't make him stop. I-I… thought you were dead."

"You don't want him in here?" He noticed Randy had wasted no time in taking charge and trying to claim her as his own.

"N-no. I go on night watch so I don't sleep. You're the only one I want to share my bed with." Tears streamed down her face. To her surprise Barbrady had gathered up Randy's belongings and threw them out of the command tent.

"I won't let him near you again. I promise." When they returned to her room her held her in a big bear hug. She missed his touch.

"H-how can you be okay with what I did?" She was astounded. His rage was only directed at Randy and none of it at her.

"It wasn't your fault Mary. He used your grief against you." He held her in his arms and kissed her forehead. "I won't let him near you again."

She hugged him tightly. Her arms only just reached around him because he was slightly overweight. She didn't care. She loved him for who she was. He kicked Randy out. She was glad he came back when he did. "You're the only one I want."

His kiss lingered and some of her old spark returned. She no longer felt weak. With Barbrady by her side she could stand up for herself.

"I missed you." She was relieved. If he were gone there was no one else. She wouldn't allow herself to love again. They collapsed on the makeshift bed in a heat of passion. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. She giggled as he gently tickled her ribs.

XXXX

She giggled like a schoolgirl and it filled her with rage. She had already warned her away from him before. The betrayal stung. She was supposed to be her friend; she thought she was patching things up with Randy only to discover the affair he was having with McDaniels.

Her fists clenched and her face turned bright red with rage. "That fucking slut!" McDaniels wasn't quiet about it. She could hear her moaning. She decided to confront them and marched into the command tent. "Mary! Randy!"

Mary screamed and quickly gathered up blankets to cover herself. She'd seen more of McDaniels than she wanted to. Why did she have to be prettier than her? She was fairly plain by comparison. Mary even looked younger than she did. It wasn't fair.

"You slut! How dare you?!" She screamed at her former friend feeling insulted because Mary wouldn't take responsibility and blamed the entire affair on Randy.

"I-it's not what you think Sharon!" Her excuses made her angrier. She wanted to hit her again.

She pulled the blankets away from them since Randy was hiding from her. She was shocked. Mary wasn't with her ex husband like she thought. "Barbrady?"

"Do I look like that stupid ninny Sharon?" Barbrady's face flushed red with rage.

"How can you forgive her for this?!" She didn't understand it. She couldn't forgive Mary since her husband's soul focus was on pursuing her. She cheated on George too. How was he okay with what she did?

"It wasn't her fault. Your ex husband took advantage of my grieving wife." Barbrady snapped with hostility which he directed at Randy and not his cheating wife.

"You are a slut Mary!" She stormed out in an angry huff. She couldn't look at Mary anymore.

XXXX

"Do you think Dr. Timothy's mind bending powers would work on them?" They sat in the trees aiming arrows at the undead below. The kids often took part in the perimeter checks to keep the camp safe. She was practically a cat and preferred to go out at night.

"What do you mean?" Kenny asked as he shot a zombified corpse that resembled him. She wished Kenny would be more careful. He might have the ability to come back, but she hated watching him die. Every time he died it produced another zombie Kenny.

"I mean if Dr. Timothy scrambled their brains would he be able to control them?" She wasn't the only one wondering and even Clyde suggested trapping some of the zombie Kenny's in order to test her idea.

"Do you have to trap those ones?" The idea made Kenny uncomfortable. Kyle started laughing and they looked at him like he had two heads.

"What's so funny?" Craig asked.

"They're as brainless as Fat Ass and if Dr. Timothy can control his mind it's entirely possible." Kyle and the other Freedom Pals roared with hysterical laughter. There was no need for them to be vigilantes anymore because there wasn't much in the way of humanity left to protect.

"Hey!" Cartman didn't appreciate the jokes at his expense. "I'm not a brainless piece of shit!" His comeback only made them laugh harder.

"Come on! Let's set the traps."She jumped from the tree and waited impatiently for the others who couldn't fly or jump like she could to climb down.

XXXX

Hot heavy tears streamed down her face. The guilt crushed her. She'd lost one of the few friends she had left because of what she did.

"It wasn't your fault Mary." She was surprised when he wrapped her up in a comforting bear hug. He believed her when she said she didn't want to, but didn't have the emotional strength to make him stop. "You're not a slut."

She leaned into him and sobbed on his broad shoulders. "I'm so sorry for this whole mess. I don't deserve your forgiveness or Sharon's."

"She'll come around when she sees the truth and there's nothing to forgive you for because you didn't do anything wrong. You thought I was dead and the world went to shit. He used that against you." He kissed her forehead and then her lips. He kissed her slowly.

"I only want you George." She hugged him tightly and returned his kisses after he wiped her tears away.

A cheeky grin broadened across his face. He kissed her passionately. Sharon's outburst hadn't killed his mood. Her hands wandered across his back as he ran his fingers through her hair. "I like the long hair. You look beautiful." He told her between kisses.

Her old spark started to return. She needed him like she needed air to breathe. He was everything to her. They spent time together. Savouring the moment. It was just like the night they first got together. She moaned loudly once he was inside her.

"Shh!" He giggled. "You'll wake the whole camp."

She struggled to keep it quiet. She enjoyed him. Each loving caress and each tender kiss brought her back to life. She didn't want him to stop.

He was asleep before she was. She didn't sleep at all. Only this time there was no reason to be afraid. She lay in his arms using his broad shoulder as a pillow. While the morning sun streaked through the tent.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

He watched the command tent. He hadn't worked up to facing Sharon yet. He didn't even know where he was going to sleep. Why? Why did he have to come back? He should be dead. The dead were everywhere. That hospital was overrun. He wished he hadn't barricaded Barbrady's room. He only did it because McDaniels wouldn't leave.

He sat brooding with resentment. He knew what they were doing as he glowered at the command tent. He'd only just moved in. Mary was his. She couldn't keep going on night watch forever. He thought he had her.

"Fucking bitch!" He drank beer as he watched the command tent. Focusing intently on his hatred towards Barbrady.

"You're a jackass Randy!" He screamed like a girl and dropped his can of beer when he noticed his ex wife standing behind him. He looked up at her. She had her arms folded and her face was bright red with rage.

He stood up to face her. "I like Mary alright."

"I noticed." Sharon grumbled. She pushed him back when he tried to go to bed. "You're not sleeping in my tent Randy. We're finished!"

He frantically looked around. All the tents were occupied and there was no way Denny Hughes would let him in the RV. "Where the hell am I supposed to sleep Sharon?!"

"You should've thought of that before you slept with Mary behind my back." She stormed off. There was no way she'd let him near her tent or even their children.

He growled with frustration and gritted his teeth. He would confront Barbrady. The fat oaf had to know that he was in charge. This was _his_ camp. That bumbling idiot didn't do anything to keep the camp or even Mary safe. He chugged another can of beer and went to confront Barbrady.

XXXX

"You're not in charge anymore Marsh." Bob Johnson, Freddie Janson and Officer Alex McDaniels returned from the perimeter checks with Katherine McDaniels

"You're an idiot." Katherine flipped him off. She looked just like Mary when she scowled. The kid had the same long blue hair, looked like Mary in the face with the only difference being her blue eyes. This kid was adopted. They weren't related, but looked so alike.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Alex McDaniels blocked his path. He wouldn't let him near the command tent. "I told you before to stay away from her."

"I hate you jackass!" He didn't even know why he was nice to the kid. She was just a spoiled brat.

He tried again to get past them, but nobody would allow it. "I just want to talk sense into Mary."

"Go away!" A blast of energy from the kid sent him flying through the air. He landed outside their perimeter. Something he set up to keep the people safe.

He scurried away as a zombie growled and tried to grab his legs. He realised he wasn't armed and only had a pathetic pocket knife. He still hadn't found his gun since Barbrady threw his stuff out. The zombie snarled baring rotting yellow teeth. The flesh fell from the left side of its face. This thing used to be a person, but since the outbreak he'd been reduced to a snarling beast concerned with nothing else except food. He dropped his pocket knife as the zombie cornered him and backed him into a tree. Gnashing teeth tried to bite him as he attempted to fight the zombie off.

"Not today!" He growled as he finally found a stick large and sharp enough to drive through the zombie's skull. He didn't have time to rest. The dead must've heard the commotion. He took out three more before he hopped over the perimeter and made it to the safety of camp. He had to warn them. He might not be in charge anymore, but they had to listen to sense when the dead were on their doorstep. Camp wasn't safe anymore.

XXXX

"GUYS!" He'd gone to the bathroom when he heard Randy Marsh yelling like an idiot. "GUYS!"

"What does this ninny want?" He grumbled with irritation. He knew there'd be another argument between them. He knew Randy Marsh wouldn't leave Mary alone.

"GUYS!" He tried ignoring Marsh as he frantically tried to tell him something. He ran into camp screaming like an idiot.

"Snap out of it Randy! The noise attracts them!" Jimbo Kern hit Randy across the back of the head so he didn't have to.

"They're near camp!" He was frantic. He clutched his knees and struggled to catch his breath. Randy was covered in blood.

"You weren't bit were you?!" Jimbo shook him as Marsh failed to speak logically. They couldn't understand his ranting and raving.

"I killed four. I wasn't bit." Randy glowered at him when he finally composed himself. "You're brat blasted me. There were zombies just outside camp."

He scanned the area around camp and as far as he or anyone else could see camp was clear. It was safe. He radioed Blake who was on watch and asked him to check for signs of the undead. "Anything?"

"It's all clear." Blake replied through the radio. "I haven't used any ammo today Sir."

"Where are you going?" He grabbed Randy by the scruff of his shirt. He knew he was going back to the command tent to wake Mary up.

"I have to warn her." Randy became increasingly frustrated when he wouldn't let him near the command tent.

"I'll tell her in the morning." He radioed the other night watchers and people on perimeter check. It was clear. There was nothing to worry about and discussion about it could wait until morning.

"Those things are near camp!" Randy yelled as Jimbo dragged him away.

It wasn't because he didn't believe Randy. He came back to camp flustered and covered in blood. He just didn't want to alert Mary to a threat that had been taken care of and wasn't immediate. They would have a better look further away from camp in the morning. The alarms set up around camp would alert them to anything trying to get in before it became a real threat to the people. Mary needed rest. It could wait.

She was sound asleep when he finally returned to their makeshift room. His old dog slept at the foot of the bed. He felt a pang of guilt when Mary woke up to him trying to climb into bed.

"I'm not hogging the blankets am I?" She asked sleepily. She could barely keep her eyes open.

She wasn't. He had more than enough blankets to cover him. He pulled her into a bear hug. He missed her. "I love you."

She leaned into him and squeezed him tightly. He didn't mind her using his broad shoulders as a pillow. She fell straight back to sleep once he was comfortable. Discussion about the zombie attack on Randy Marsh and search for the undead just near camp could wait until morning. He wanted her to enjoy their reunion. It felt like a long time since he'd last seen her.

XXXX

Nothing. The only signs of the undead near camp were the four Randy took out the night before. "They're not a threat Marsh. Camp is fine."

"Just to be sure we should put extra people on patrol." Blake suggested as the four Randy took out were so close to camp.

"We need to keep everyone here to defend camp. Supply runs only need three people. Not so many like last time." She scowled. Randy still pranced around camp like he was in charge.

"I need to make a run." She was horrified when Barbrady – who'd just returned to her – said he needed to leave camp.

"You just got back." She clung to his arm. She couldn't stand it. He couldn't leave camp or even leave her alone in camp with Randy.

"We're seriously low on guns and ammo." She knew he was trying to reassure her that he would be okay. "I cleaned out the station before I came back and I dropped a bag of guns."

"We should probably get Yates back. We just left him on the roof." Blake added guiltily. "He's erratic and can be an idiot, but he's a good shot and we need him."

"Oh for the love of God!" She exchanged glances with everyone. They all agreed to go back for Yates and the guns. "Why? Why would you when Harrison was being a dick? Never mind the damn guns!"

He pulled her aside to talk in private. "It's not just the guns Mary. I left the walkie in the bag. I gave one to Stephen Black. He and Token are still alive. If it weren't for them I'd be dead."

"I just got you back." She looked nervously at Randy Marsh who smirked at her. "Please don't leave me here alone?"

"Come with me." He hid her from Randy's sight when he noticed she was uncomfortable with him looking at her.

"I can't leave the kids." She wanted to. She wanted to go with him and ensure his safety. She couldn't leave the kids. Her babies depended on her. She was still breast feeding their newest child three month old Cameron.

"Mum?" Katherine was behind them. She held Cameron in her arms.

"What is it?" She noticed the worried look on Kat's face as she held her baby brother.

"We need more nappies. You should get some of the cloth ones so you can just wash them." Katherine suggested reusable cloth diapers for the baby so they weren't constantly on runs looking for disposable ones. She learned a long time ago that nappies and diapers were the same thing. Australians had different names for a lot of common things. "The older kids need formula. We're down to the last tin."

"We just come back from Denver." Barbrady seemed confused because they didn't come back with much when he returned with the others from Denver.

"You're not taking everyone with you Barbrady!" Randy barked orders at people even though they ignored him because he was no longer in charge.

"I'll go." Knowles volunteered. "I'm the idiot that dropped the key."

Barbrady looked at Blake. "You helped me before, I know Mary would feel better if you went with us."

"So you're going to take everyone with you on a suicide mission Barbrady?" Randy immediately started to pout because he wasn't calling the shots anymore.

"I'm taking Knowles, Blake and Johnson." He looked at Alex and she hoped he wouldn't be taking her son with him as well, "You stay here and protect your mother Alexander."

"Keep Marsh away from mom and the command tent? Got it." She was relieved to have some backup in camp.

"George?" She hugged him for a long time as the others took a vehicle and some of the weapons they had on hand. "Please don't leave me?"

"I'll be right back. I promise." He kissed her tenderly before Blake hurried everyone who was going to Denver into the truck.

"Come on, we're losing daylight!" He shouted from the driver's seat.

"Come on mom. The kids need help with lessons." Alex led her away from Randy and Sharon who was scowling at her after Barbrady left for the run.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

"We do this quickly. In and out." He wanted to get the guns and get out. He was desperate to return to his wife even as they were leaving camp. Even though she had Alex with her he still didn't feel comfortable leaving her alone in camp with Randy Marsh.

"What are we going to do about Marsh?" Knowles asked as he read his mind. "He can't stay in camp. He's not in charge like he thinks he is."

"You came back just in time. This is your first and last run Barbrady." Even Johnson banned him from going away from his family after this last supply run to Denver. "We're already having trouble keeping him away from Mary."

"I just want that stupid ninny away from Mary. I'm thinking banishment." They were almost there. He just hoped the horde he'd encountered last time had dispersed and there wasn't too many of them.

"We could just leave him in camp in the middle of the night." Denny Hughes opted to come with them at the last minute despite the fact that his wife Leah asked him not to. "Go somewhere else far away where he won't find us."

He liked this idea and knew just the place. There was enough land and a large house to accommodate the survivors. "Mary and I have an off the grid cabin in the woods. It's perfect. We used to go for family holidays away from town."

"A proper roof instead of a tent would be nice." Knowles was familiar with the cabin. He became his stepson's brother-in-law after he married Knowles' sister Keisha.

He stopped just outside the city. He didn't want to risk getting the van stuck in the city since they needed it to get back to camp. It was too far to go on foot. Camp was at least a full day of walking to get there. "Come on. I want to get back before dark."

XXXX

"God!" She groaned with irritation as she noticed a horde of gossipy women sitting on the river bank. They were laughing loudly and many shot her mother funny looks when she walked past with baskets of dirty laundry. "Don't they have anything better to do?"

"When we're not being hunted down and eaten there's nothing better to do." Kenny mumbled. It was a warm summer afternoon. They sat in a canoe with fishing rods and a bucket of worms they used for bait. She didn't understand why he still had his hood up.

"I'm going to blast the next bitch that calls my mum a slut." They already filled one bucket, but she wanted more fish. She was hungry and didn't want Randy Marsh or anyone else in camp yelling at her because she ate too much. "They don't get the fish we catch if they keep this shit up."

Kenny had a propane stove and they cooked some of the fish in the dinghy. At least no one could yell at them from where they were sitting. There would be plenty to go around at the fish fry they were having that night.

"Your dad will come back." Kenny reassured her after they sat in silence and listened to the chirping cicadas. "He got out of the hospital."

"I'm not worried." She actually wasn't worried. She knew the people chosen to go with her adoptive father would make sure he came back. It was her mother who freaked out about the possibility of never seeing him again. "He made it out of Denver. They dropped bombs on the city, that hospital was overrun. Nothing's killed him yet."

"Why do they troll me?" He pointed out a zombified Kenny corpse on the edge of the cliff on the other side of the river. It wasn't a threat to the camp and there was no need to take it out. It split into chunks when it hit the ground below.

"Can you just be careful? Stop dying, _please_?" She couldn't take it whenever it happened. She knew he was immortal and he would come back, but she hated seeing him die.

"At least you remember. No one else does." Kenny often became angry with his friends because they never remembered when he died even if he died right in front of them.

"I'm not sharing this big fish!" She announced before their conversation turned dark. "Well, only with you Kenny."

"Woo hoo!" His victory dancing in the dinghy almost tipped it over and sent them into the river.

XXXX

She didn't know how much more of this shit she could take. She knew they were talking about her. The only reason she volunteered to help with laundry was so she could keep an eye on Katherine from the river bank. Her young daughter and her little boyfriend Kenny McCormick were sitting in a dingy catching fish for the evening meal.

"What?" She glowered at them as the other women giggled behind her back. The group consisted of Maggie Yates, Laura Tucker, Debbie Testaburger, Liane Cartman and Linda Stotch.

"Making your way through camp are you Mary?" Linda's remark amused the other women who cackled like a coven of witches.

"Excuse me?!" She was angrily embarrassed. She knew the whole camp knew about what she did with Randy Marsh, but she wished they didn't. It was bad enough it happened in the first place.

"You should stay away from Roger." Liane warned her. Liane Cartman started seeing Roger Donovan before the outbreak.

"Seriously?!" Liane of all people warned her away from a man she had no interest in. "You of all people shouldn't talk."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Liane glowered at her and angrily threw a shirt she was washing in the mud.

"You?" She pointed at Liane. "You slept with everyone in town and you're calling me a whore?!"

"You _are_ a whore Mary!" Sharon Marsh stood behind her with her arms folded. She glowered at her. "I still don't understand why Barbrady would take you back after what you did."

"I never wanted to. I hate Randy. He used me. George knows that." The women around her laughed incredulously. No matter what she said she couldn't convince them that Randy had used her grief against her when she thought her husband was dead. That no matter what she wouldn't have been able to make him stop.

"Just do us all a favour and keep your legs shut Mary." Sharon scowled. She looked as though she would hit her again.

"I hope you bitches aren't talking shit over there?!" Katherine shrieked from the dinghy. The kid would blast them if they gave her a reason to.

"Control your brats while you're at it." The women including Sharon walked away leaving her alone.

She hoped George would come back soon. She needed him in camp. She wanted to leave camp. She longed for their off the grid cabin, but she wouldn't go without him.

XXXX

They checked the rooftop first. Yates was gone, but his severed hand remained. They were shocked. He noticed the guilt on Officer Knowles' face since he was the one who dropped the key down the drain as they fled from the horde.

"He can't have gone far. Let's check the buildings nearby." Harrison couldn't be dead. He managed to escape the horde one handed. He had an untreated injury. They hoped they could find him even though Blake was sceptical he was alive.

"It's been a couple of days. He can pass out from blood loss." Blake said as they searched buildings nearby.

"What the hell?" Johnson checked an open window when he noticed blood splatter. "He left the building?"

"He's done for." Blake urged them to get the guns. "He's bleeding out in a city of dead fucks. Let's just get the guns and go."

"If he weren't such a ninny this wouldn't have happened." He agreed and they moved on. He wasn't going to waste so much time when they could possibly run into trouble. He just wanted to get back to Mary. "Are the guns still there?"

The returned to the rooftop and scanned the area below. The guns were in sight and there weren't as many zombies roaming that part of the city.

"Come on." Johnson was the first one down the fire escape. Everyone else followed suit.

XXXX

She was helping her children with their lessons while she cradled her three-month-old son Cameron in her arms when she heard the commotion outside the command tent. She ducked out of the way cradling her son as Randy flew through the air and crash landed beside the makeshift bed she now shared with Barbrady.

"What the fuck is this shit?" She demanded as she held onto her crying baby.

"I told him to go away because you don't want to see him." Kat came back with the catch they would eat for dinner that night. "Idiot wouldn't listen."

"You're not cleaning those fish in the tent Katherine. Take them outside." The smell already started to fill the tent.

"Okay." She left with Kenny in tow. "I won't clean the fish in the tent. God!"

"What the hell are you doing? You're not in charge anymore." She wanted Randy gone so she could calm Cameron down as he wailed. "I don't want you, I don't want to see you. Get out!"

"Make him stop Mary. The dead will hear him." Randy clamoured as he untangled himself from the sheets that'd fallen on him when he crash landed in the tent.

"He wouldn't be crying if you didn't start shit with Katherine!" She tried futilely to console the wailing baby in her arms. "Get out Randy!"

"No!" Marsh refused to leave. "Not until you listen to me!"

"Get out!" She knew feeding the baby would calm him down, but she didn't want to breast feed in front of Randy.

"You know I'm the one that kept you and the children safe. Barbrady didn't do shit." He clamoured like an idiot. Where was Alex or her aides when she needed them?

"He was in the hospital!" She was angrily insulted he'd even suggest that Barbrady wasn't capable of taking care of her or the kids. He did a damn fine job of it before the outbreak. He was a good husband and a good father.

"Make the baby stop crying Mary!" Randy shouted with irritation. "Noise to a minimum, you know the rules!"

She sighed with exasperation and decided to feed Cameron anyway. "Get out Marsh!"

"Do you ever stop?!" Alex stood behind Marsh with his arms folded and scowled as his face turned bright red with rage.

"Stay out of it Wonderboy!" Randy's fists clenched, but remained at his side.

"Will you just get out so I can feed my kids?" She wanted him gone. She just wanted privacy.

"Out!" Alex pushed Marsh towards the exit. "Go on. Get out."

"You know I'm better Mary." Randy sulked as Alex and Murphy escorted him out. "I'm a better man and a better father than that fat old bumbling oaf!"

"Please come back George?" She sighed with exasperation. She wasn't talking to anyone in particular. She just wanted the bullshit with Randy and the gossipy women in camp to stop.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

"We've got the guns." Bob urged them out and took out two straggling zombies as they ran through the abandoned city. "We have to get back to camp."

"I concur." Blake added as he led the way. He knew Denver well and was always in and out during supply runs. "Randy is probably trying to take control back at camp since you're out here with us Barbrady."

"Oh jeez!" He stopped to catch his breath. He was slightly overweight and didn't know how long he'd been in the hospital for. He still felt weak. "I just want that idiot away from Mary. We're going to our cabin before dawn."

"What an ugly skank!" Blake drove a knife through the skull of a dead woman who looked like she'd been baking in the sun for too long.

"Move, move!" Bob Johnson got in the truck they left behind just as he noticed a horde of at least half a dozen dead things walking towards them. They weren't much one at a time and could easily be dispatched. But in a group was a different story. The smell of fresh meat riled them up.

They quickly fled the horde. Denny Hughes kicked a dead man in the face as he grabbed his leg while he tried to get in the truck. He slammed the roller door shut when everyone was safely inside. "Let's go!"

XXXX

She hated trying to get clean while they camped in the woods just outside Denver. It wasn't because she had to bathe in the river instead of a hot bath or a long shower.

She looked around to make sure no one was watching her. She didn't trust Randy who almost always seemed to be nearby. She hated herself for what she did with Randy. She'd lost Sharon as a friend because of it. She couldn't stand the gossip surrounding her or the women who called her a slut.

She hoped Barbrady would be back soon. She knew she had access to a real bath with hot water at their cabin. It was off the grid, but they still had access to hot water and the main house was powered by generators.

The water was cold once she stripped, but she had a towel and warmer clothes nearby. She enjoyed the evening swim. It was invigorating. She only wished Barbrady were with her.

"Fine evening isn't it Mary?" He scared her. She didn't know how long he was there for. She shuddered to think of how long he'd been watching her for.

She screamed and covered herself. "Can't I have some privacy?!"

"You don't need to cover those, I've already seen them." Randy smirked. She shrank into the water and wished she were invisible.

"God, will you leave me alone?!" He stood between her and her clothes. She just wanted this shit to stop. Why couldn't he take the hint? She wasn't interested in him. Just because it happened once didn't mean it wasn't a mistake.

"Will you stop playing hard to get?" He was frustrated with her, but she didn't want him. She never wanted him even though she'd had sex with him when she was too weak to make it stop. "You know you liked it when we made love Mary."

"You used me asshole!" Her face paled when she realised he intended to get into the river to bathe with her. "I don't like you, my husband is coming back and besides, he's better in bed!"

"Just admit I'm better. What do you see in that bumbling old oaf?!" A gun clicked as he was removing clothes.

"Get away from my mother asshole!" Relief washed over her. Her eldest son Alex aimed a gun at the back of Randy's head.

"Mary is mine!" Randy clamoured with irritation. "This camp is mine! _I'm_ in charge and I want you gone before sun up Wonderboy!"

Randy fell to the floor with a loud thud and landed face first in the mud. Denny Hughes stood next to Alex holding a large stick. While she was relieved Randy had been taken care of she was embarrassed because they all knew she was naked.

"Oh God!" Her face flushed red with embarrassment as people came over to see what all the commotion was about by the river.

"Wow." Linda Stotch and the other women were sniggering at her. "You really are a whore Mary."

She wanted to run, but everyone would see her. She remained in the water up to her neck in an attempt to cover herself. "I'm just trying to take a bath."

"Mom?" She pushed through the crowd. A young woman with short brown hair noticed the chaos surrounding the river bank. "What happened?"

"Annie?" Embarrassed she tried to hide from her. She hadn't seen her eldest child since before the outbreak. While she was relieved Annie was alive she wished people would stop staring. "Can I please just have some privacy? I'm naked."

"Marsh is trying to have sex with her." Alex explained as Annie looked confused.

"I just want my clothes!" She was uncomfortable with everyone watching her and became self conscious. The water was too cold and she'd started shivering.

"Mary?" He ran to her and covered her in his big hunting jacket as he lifted her out of the water and into a big bear hug. He noticed Randy unconscious in the mud. "Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head and mumbled meekly. "No."

"Restrain him." Barbrady ordered. "I don't want that idiot near my wife."

She was relieved to see him again. He'd returned to her as he said he would. She felt safe in his arms. "Don't leave me again."

"I won't I promise." He kissed her tenderly before taking her to the command tent to dry off and get dressed.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

"Annie?" She was shocked. She didn't get the chance to hug her daughter with the crowd surrounding her. She had been worried about her since the outbreak hit. It was bad enough she thought George was dead. Annie was her eldest daughter to her late husband. Annie looked like her but had her late husband's brown hair. Unlike her younger brother Alex her hair was curly and had also grown since the outbreak began. Unlike her eldest son Alex, Annie didn't live in South Park. She lived in Moore, Oklahoma with her husband Val and two children. She'd been worried about them since it all started.

"Nana!" Her young grandchildren. Twins Selena and Quincy almost knocked her over when they flew into her arms. She couldn't believe it. Her whole family were together again.

"What's going on mom?" Annie looked confused. She knew she was asking about Randy Marsh and why Denny Hughes felt the need to hit him with a tree branch.

"Why don't you kids help your cousins pack huh?" She didn't want them to hear it and Katherine had already started packing her bags.

"Why are we packing?" Katherine asked as she searched the command tent for her favourite pink plush toy. It was a cat doll Big Gay Al – Katherine's Godfather had made for her along with her Kitty Litter costume.

"I can't take the gossipy women in camp or Randy Marsh any longer." She just wanted to be as far away from him as possible.

"Has anyone seen Marie?" Katherine was a typical pre-teen and she'd named this toy after one of the kittens featured in the _Artistocats_ film.

"Who's Marie?" Annie asked as the panic became visible on Katherine's face.

Katherine described the toy and she also couldn't find her fluffy white kitten Snowflake. "I don't know where they are." She was on the verge of tears. The coffee withdrawals hadn't been doing her any good. "I'm not going until I find them!"

"Oh boy." She knew she would have to look for them. Katherine would have a meltdown if they left without them especially the kitten. Her other two cats were safely curled up on the makeshift bed she shared with Barbrady.

"Where was the last place you saw them?" Annie offered to help her. She was good with her kids and she knew Kat looked up to her.

Before they went anywhere the kitten came back covered in mud and dropped a dead possum at Katherine's feet. It rubbed mud all over Kat's clean jeans as it seeked attention and pats for a job well done.

"God damn it cat! You scared the hell out of me!" Kat picked the kitten up and proceeded to give it a bath in a clean bucket of water Kenny brought over from the river.

She was amazed by her adopted daughter's ability to control the cats. The kitten hated every minute of its bath and it certainly didn't like being dried off with a towel. Despite this the kitten didn't bite or scratch Katherine. He just looked pissed at her when bath time was over. To add insult to injury Katherine locked all her three cats in pet carriers.

"What?" Everyone was staring at Katherine with amazement. She looked at the carriers and then at everyone else. "I know it's mean and we're not leaving until dawn, but I don't want them to get eaten."

It was fair enough. She was glad she didn't have to worry about George's old dog Barney who never wandered far from the tent. Barney stayed with her or Barbrady and the dog was never alone in camp. The animals and their safety were another reason she wanted to leave the camp and Randy's control. Just before Barbrady returned Randy and his councillors had discussed eating the animals as they shouldn't be wasting food on them. She was grieving at the time and wasn't about to let Barney go and Randy would experience Katherine's wrath if he were to even think about turning one of her cats into food.

"Can we _please_ just pack everything up so we can go in the morning?" Nothing had been packed and the command tent – which they would dismantle and take with them – was a mess.

"Not until I find Marie." Kat added to the mess looking for the toy. She'd start pouting if she didn't find it soon.

"Seriously poser?" Pete had the toy in question. He threw it at her. "Keep a better eye on your stuff."

"We can go now." Katherine hugged the toy. She hugged her adopted daughter. She was relieved for her.

"Thank God!" She sighed with relief. Her family was back together. Her daughter found her missing toy and cat and they could finally leave. She just wished it were later as they wouldn't be leaving until everyone in camp was asleep.

XXXX

It was early evening just after sunset. She couldn't wait until it was time to leave. She hoped she could get the big command tent down in the middle of the night without Randy and his minions noticing.

"Marsh wants to go on watch." Johnson explained to her annoyance. "I tried telling him it was my turn. He wouldn't listen."

"We need to do something about this Mary." Even Barbrady didn't want him awake. Everything had to be quiet. "He can't know we're going."

"What do you suggest?" They just had a large fish fry feast and most people were drunk already. Liane, Maggie and Laura retired early and the kids along with Alex and the remaining police patrolled the perimeter.

"I don't know. Distract him?" Freddie shrugged. She was shocked when they all looked at her.

"You can't be serious?!" She wouldn't do it. She couldn't put herself in that position again. "No fucking way!"

"You don't have to have sex with him, just distract him." Blake suggested. "Get him drunk. He'll pass out and he won't notice we're gone until morning."

"I don't like it." Barbrady seemed nervous and she was disgusted. The thought of it made her feel sick. He wrapped his arms around her in a big bear hug. "She's my wife."

"We can't afford to get caught robbing this camp blind, which is basically what we're doing." Foley added when he returned from his perimeter check.

"Oh hell!" She grumbled with irritation. "Fine! But you assholes owe me big for this!"

XXXX

She found Randy sitting alone by a tree. He looked drunk enough already, but she wanted him to pass out. She had to know it was safe to leave camp and they were going before sun up.

"R-Randy?" Sweat dripped down her brow. She brought a case of beer with her and reluctantly sat next to him.

"What's this?" He seemed surprised when she handed him one. He hesitated before taking it from her. "What are you doing?"

She had to think of something so he wouldn't get suspicious. She didn't know what to do. She shuddered. Flirting with Marsh was the only thing that came to mind. "Maybe you weren't such a bad leader after all."

He looked at her incredulously. "Aren't you with the bumbling fat idiot? I thought I wasn't in charge anymore."

She wanted to choke him for insulting her husband. She wished she didn't have to do this. "We had a fight." She lied and noticed this peeked his interest so she continued to lie to him. "He's pissed at me for what I did. What _we_ did."

She shuddered when he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. To feign interest in him she had to resist the urge to push him away. "We had a good time Mary and I was sure he was dead. That's not cheating."

She chugged her beer. His voice was like fingernails on a chalk board and his touch made her skin crawl. How did Sharon put up with him? "I guess not."

He kissed her suddenly and passionately. She didn't want it to go any further. She was only there to get him drunk. "I knew you liked me. What do you see in that idiot?"

She laughed nervously. She desperately looked for a way out. "How about we finish these beers huh?"

He drank most of them. She was stunned as he still hadn't passed out yet. He moved in and grabbed her again. Kissing her and caressing her chest. She felt around for something to hit him with and clutched the handle of a frying pan. She struck him over the head with it as soon as his hands moved up her shirt and yanked her bra down. She hit him three more times for good measure so she knew for sure he'd passed out and would remain unconscious until morning. "I never liked you idiot!"

XXXX

She panicked as they were taking the command tent down and packing bags of stuff into cars. They moved quietly around camp collecting stuff. Food, blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, tents, cooking, fishing and hunting gear and weapons were packed into cars and the two RV vans Blake and Denny owned.

It might be a dick move to take half the weapons and food, but as far as she was concerned Randy and the gossipy women in camp deserved it. She was only taking people she trusted with her.

"Mary?" She froze when she heard Jimbo's voice behind her. She had a large box of ammunition in her arms that belonged to him. "What are you doing?"

She slumped and sighed heavily. "I can't take this shit anymore."

"Can I come?" He asked to her surprise. He seemed to know she was abandoning camp.

"What?" She asked incredulously. She was sure he was on Randy's side.

"I'm sick of Randy and his shit. He crossed the line when he suggested eating the pets." Jimbo explained. "I mean. I know they could be food if we were all desperately starving, but I can't do that to Stanley."

"Me too. I want out." Ned added as he handed her another box of ammunition and attempted to take down the tent he shared with Jimbo one handed.

She knew she would need them. Jimbo and Ned were seasoned hunters and they were capable of taking out the undead. They set up the perimeter and did most of the security work while Randy pretended like he was in charge of camp.

"Randy's your brother isn't he?" She wasn't going to stop them if they wanted to come with her, but she was surprised that Jimbo would turn his back on his brother.

"Half brother." He reminded her. "I can't deal with Randy anymore." Jimbo seemed guilt ridden as he spoke. "His behaviour during the PC movement, you're election campaign and Mitch Conner and now. I don't know what's got into him and I don't even like being around him. He treats you and Sharon like crap."

"Okay, fine." She could use his Jeep and the rest of his weapons and ammunition anyway. Jimbo also had fishing gear and the dinghy Katherine and Kenny were fishing in the other day belonged to him. "Just be quiet about it."

She had taken steps to ensure no one in camp who wasn't on her side would notice. People she trusted volunteered to go on watch so Randy wouldn't. She hated herself for it, but she spent the night plying Randy with booze so he'd pass out before dawn. She knocked him out with a frying pan when he got too grabby and went to kiss her.

XXXX

"What's up dad's ass?" Shelly asked when he informed her that their father and the councillors wanted to turn the pets into food.

"We can't let him eat Sparky." He panicked. Sparky was his best friend. The dog was loyal and he was very protective of him. "It's sick dude!"

"I'm sick of mom." Shelly agreed. Their parents had been squabbling a lot more than usual. "She keeps calling the Mayor a slut and wants to get back with dad."

He didn't understand why she wanted their father back. He saw his mother hit Mayor McDaniels. She didn't hit her she bitch slapped the Mayor. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting out of here."

It was late. Everyone apart from the Mayor's aides – who were on watch – and a couple of cops who patrolled the perimeter were asleep.

"Where are you even going to go turd?" Shelly asked curiously. She seemed interested in going with him as she quietly started packing a bag.

"I heard Kat and Kenny talking." He explained. "They're going to the Mayor's fancy cabin in the mountains."

They both looked to see if the coast was clear. He pointed to Denny's RV. "There. We can hide Sparky in there."

Once they packed as much stuff as they could and they were sure Sharon was asleep they quietly sneaked into the RV. It was just a matter of keeping Sparky quiet so they could leave.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

They left before dawn. She was anxious to get out of that camp and away from Randy Marsh. She couldn't take the gossip anymore or Sharon's accusing stares. She was relieved when they were far enough away from camp and her body relaxed. She was glad to have her husband back even though she didn't understand how he could forgive her.

"It's a long drive and you need rest." Barbrady insisted she take a nap. She needed one. She was exhausted. "You don't have to worry about anything. I'll get us there and we can have a hot shower at the cabin."

She couldn't wait to get to her cabin. It was a two story building with an attic that could accommodate extra people. Using it as an extra bedroom made sense as she'd prefer the survivors she brought with her to sleep in the house. The cabin had seven rooms with bunk rooms that would be perfect for the kids. The boys and the girls would get their own designated rooms.

She hoped the cabin wasn't overrun when they got there. It was off the grid. They had generators for power, large stone fireplaces for heating and their water supply came from the lake nearby. It was perfect for just this kind of outbreak. It was stocked with perishable food since they were planning a family trip before the outbreak.

The one thing she wanted more than anything else was a hot bath. She needed one and had grown tired of bathing in cold water. At least the cabin meant proper shelter and they could remain civilized. She had hopes of rebuilding South Park on the property. It needed a wall surrounding the perimeter and the supplies to build it. The land was vast enough they could rebuild South Park or at least a smaller version of. Shed use the cabin not just as her home, but as the new City Hall.

XXXX

"Keep him quiet turd!" Shelly hissed under her breath so they wouldn't wake anyone.

They hid in an RV belonging to Denny Hughes when they found out Mayor McDaniels was leaving and planning on taking a large chunk of survivors with her. They couldn't stay after overhearing the last council meeting his dad held before Barbrady returned from the dead.

Sparky whined and it was hard to keep him calm especially since the dog might need the bathroom. "Please be quite, I don't wanna get busted."

"Lacey?" Dovahkiin mumbled sleepily. Fortunately Dovahkiin thought his little sister might be talking in her sleep, but he didn't think he could keep Sparky quiet for much longer.

"Shh." He tried to shush him. But, Sparky whined. He could tell by looking at him that Sparky needed the bathroom and he wished he'd taken him outside just before they were leaving.

"Shut up turd!" Shelly hissed a little too loudly. They hid when they heard movement. They didn't want to get caught and they didn't want Denny Hughes to take them back to camp. At least that was something he and Shelly agreed on. They couldn't stand their parents anymore.

"I'm trying." He hissed back at her. She rolled her eyes at him. At least she wasn't threatening to punch him like she usually did.

"What's that smell?" Denny Hughes was awake. Dovahkiin's dad noticed the smell as Sparky was unable to hold it. He peed in the RV.

"Dude!" He tried to keep it quiet as he searched his backpack for a paper towel. "Sick, it's on the carpet!"

"Go back to bed Denny. Unless you want to drive." Leah insisted they'd deal with it when they got to the cabin.

"Seriously?" Sparky looked at him with a guilty expression on his face and his tail between his legs. He just hoped that he'd be able to get to this cabin Kat and Kenny were talking about before they got busted.

XXXX

"I think we're gonna have to build a wall to keep this place secure." Murphy said as he dispatched the last zombie on the property.

"We'll make a list and organize a supply run." He drove his knife through the skull of a corpse trying to bite him. He was relieved to see the cabin and thankful there were only a few corpses roaming the property. He was concerned the property might be overrun when they got there.

"We'll check inside and make sure no one else is squatting here." Annie and her husband Val went inside along with Alex and Blake.

He thought that getting Blake to teach the survivors self defence would be a good idea since there were some who couldn't fight or use a gun. The kids needed proper training and he'd make sure that everyone would be able to handle themselves if they ever ran into trouble.

"Can I go inside yet?" He noticed his grumpy wife had left the car even though he told her not to.

"They're checking to see if it's clear inside first. We might have to fight people to get it back." She didn't look happy to hear it. He knew she was exhausted and wanted a proper bed, he did too. They just had to wait until Annie came back and told them it was clear.

"We don't have to waist our bullets fighting people for this place." Annie assured them. "It's clear."

"You know where your rooms are." His wife obviously wasn't in the mood for showing people around or making sure they were settled. She was already waking the kids up to tell them they'd arrived and they were safe.

He had four toddlers in his arms and Mary helped carry Cameron and Jordan inside. Kat and Pete ran ahead desperate to get to the coffee machine.

"If I don't get coffee I'm going to die!" Tweek Tweak ran after them and dragged a sleepy Craig along with him.

"I could use a coffee too." He missed it along with a lot of things. As soon as people were settled he'd be able to relax.

XXXX

They didn't have to get food. They didn't have to collect or chop firewood since her dad collected enough to last a while during their last trip to the family cabin. She could see the kids admiring it. She loved the family trips to this place. The cabin had high ceilings, beams and wooden flooring. Her dad lit the fire place and she made everyone coffee after they had the chance to relax. She missed being inside. Even her cats were more comfortable at the cabin. She sat on the blue couch with Snowflake in her lap and Pete and Tweek seated either side of her. They all had coffee while Clyde and Craig sorted through the board games.

The women were cooking in the kitchen and people started to relax after they claimed their rooms and settled in.

It was a large living space with enough seating for at least ten people. She was surprised everything was still intact.

"At least we don't have to put up with Fat Ass." Kyle and Kenny sat by the fire with Kyle reading a book and Kenny falling asleep.

"Like my mum would let him come here." After everything Cartman had done she knew he wouldn't be welcome at the cabin.

"Stan?" Kyle was shocked to see him with Shelly and Sparky.

"Where's Mary?" Denny asked. "I've got a couple of stowaways."

"She's in the kitchen." She went to inform her mother who was surprised to see Stan and Shelly Marsh.

"It's not just them." Blake added. "I've got a stowaway as well."

"Wendy?" Stan was shocked to see her. They all were.

McDaniels sighed. "Katherine? Will you show them to the kid's rooms please?"

"Okay." She showed her friends where they would be staying. "Why'd you guys leave?"

"We can't stand our parents anymore." They explained. Stan and Shelly couldn't take their parents fighting and Wendy couldn't stand her mom's gossiping attitude.

"I wasn't going to let them eat Sparky and Uncle Jimbo is here too." Stan shrugged.

It was a good a reason as any. She never liked Stan's dad and considered him stupid. No wonder Stan was embarrassed by him all the time.

XXXX

"We're finally here!" She exclaimed as she hugged her husband tightly. They'd arrived at the cabin and retired to their room as soon as people were settled. She would give them a proper tour of the cabin after she had a chance to rest and clean up.

"We're free Mary, he won't be back to bother you again." They quickly unpacked before taking the time to enjoy each other's company. They hadn't really had the chance to be alone since George returned from the hospital. The cabin gave them more privacy.

"I'm so sorry for all this." She'd apologised countless time, but still had to apologise once more even though George assured her he wasn't mad and it wasn't her fault.

"It wasn't your fault Mary and I'll keep you safe, I promise." He kissed her. They spent the evening together. She was just glad to have a proper bed. The old cots they were using at the camp hurt her back.

"I needed this." She soaked in a hot bath while her husband unpacked their belongings. The kids were settled and the babies were asleep so they had some time alone. She had work to do as she planned to take her power back. Without Randy Marsh hounding her it'd be easier for her to take charge alongside Barbrady. After a few days of rest she'd put together a new city council. She already had a few people in mind and Denny Hughes was set to replace Randy Marsh.

He kissed her gently. "We can organise this properly in a few days. It's not just us. Everyone needs rest and proper shelter before we start work rebuilding the town."

She smiled. He'd read her mind. It was something she enjoyed about working with Barbrady and running the city before the outbreak. They were usually on the same page. "I haven't seen you rest yet. Why don't you join me?"

"Oh jeez!" She giggled when he sank into the tub and started to relax. She missed moments like this.

She kissed him tenderly. "I don't want to talk about zombies or Marsh or walls and town rebuilds. I just want to enjoy this for a few days."

Tender kisses eventually turned into passionate love making. The bath and the bed were better than the cots at the old camp. She missed his touch along with the silk sheets. The curtains were open and she could see snow falling outside. She was no longer cold and she was no longer scared. She was safe and she had everything she needed. Her spirits lifted as she lay in her husband's arms while he slept. With George Barbrady by her side she felt like she could accomplish anything and her world wasn't so dark.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

She remained in bed. Barbrady got up early when Katherine barged in the room and demanded to go fishing. George Barbrady, Jimbo Kern and Ned Gerblanski took Katherine and some of the other kids with them to start them on gun training. Hunting was a good excuse as any to learn.

Barbrady asked if she wanted to come and she'd thought about it. Once he'd showered and dressed for the day she wasn't in the mood to go anywhere or see anyone and changed her mind. She just wanted some time to herself before the real work to rebuild the town they lost to the outbreak began.

"You're not even going to get up?" He asked as he shook her gently. "There's breakfast and coffee downstairs."

"Why should I get up for that?" She grumbled sleepily. "Can't I have breakfast in bed?"

He laughed and draped another blanket over her when he noticed she was cold. They had plenty at the cabin, but she knew they'd need to find or make more soon. "It's okay Mary. You rest. You deserve a lazy day in bed."

"Do we have any yarn?" She asked just as he took a jacket from his bag that remained propped up by the door.

"Why do you want yarn?" He looked unsure, but she knew he'd get it for her just because she'd asked.

"Crochet helps me relax." She shrugged. "I can lie around in bed all day _and_ be productive."

"I'll check." A few minutes later he returned with a basket fall. She must've left it at the cabin during their last trip. "Do you need anything else?"

Her eldest son Alexander McDaniels brought up her breakfast tray which included freshly brewed coffee. "Katherine made it."

"I'm good." She savoured the smell of the coffee in her cup before sipping it slowly. "Be careful on your hunt. I want you all back alive."

"Should I go with them?" Alex asked as he lifted Barbrady's old dog Barney on the bed. "They could use back up."

She nodded. "Keep an eye on your sister. Don't let her teleport anywhere."

"Aw man!" Katherine groaned. She was clearly eavesdropping while she waited impatiently for the adults to get ready.

"Do you want to land in the middle of a herd when you do that?" She asked sternly. Before the outbreak Katherine's ability to teleport was handy and it was something she wished she could do. These days with the undead outnumbering them it wasn't worth the risk.

"No." Katherine mumbled meekly before tugging on the hem of Barbrady's jacket to get his attention. "Can we go now dad?"

"Okay." Barbrady barely got to wave goodbye with Katherine dragging him out and Alexander trailing along behind.

XXXX

"I'm surprised the lake isn't frozen yet." They sat in a large motor boat and sipped on beer and lemonade as they waited for fish to bite.

"How are we going to catch the fish once it's frozen over?" She asked as she attached bait and a lure to her fishing rod. Fish and seafood was one of Katherine's favourite things to eat.

"I'll teach you kids ice fishing." She often wondered why so many people thought he was stupid. Barbrady was much smarter than people gave him credit for. She'd learned a lot from him and because of Barbrady and Jimbo Kern she was proficient in guns and knives and catching her own food.

"Alright!" Stan exclaimed as he reeled in a large fish.

"I want tray baked fish." She already knew what she was going to make with it. While she learned hunting, fishing and survival skills from her father. She learned cooking and self defence from her mother. "I wish we had yabbies."

"What are yabbies?" Kenny asked as he attached a lure to his fishing pole.

"It's a bit like a lobster. You can eat them." She used to catch yabbies just to eat because her parents often neglected to feed her during their drunken benders.

"What about a feast?" Jimbo suggested. "This place is better than the camp."

"Mary wants to rebuild South Park here." Barbrady explained. "We may as well celebrate."

"We still have stuff from our last trip here and you guys stocked this place for the next one." She'd spent the morning checking the flour and any grains they had for pests and signs of mice and rats with Keisha and Annie before leaving for the hunting and fishing trip. Surprisingly a lot of it was still good and they didn't need to go on a supply run.

"We still need to organise a supply run." Barbrady dumped a fish in a bucket he had next to him. "We need to make this place safe. We don't have the tools or the supplies to build a wall."

"I think Annie said they need more medical supplies so they can set up a hospital." Alex added as he handed a beer over to Ned who waved his arm stump at him indicating he wanted another one.

"What's the deal with Mr. Marsh any way?" She interjected changing the subject. "He's really weird around mum."

"That ninny won't be bothering her anymore." Barbrady replied bitterly. "If he does, I'll shoot him."

"I don't understand my little half brother." Jimbo sighed. "He never used to be like this. I blame the PC movement. Power went to his head and scrambled his brains."

No one knew what got into him. Randy Marsh was always an idiot. She even beat him up for attempting to drive while drunk. The one thing they could all agree on was they were glad to be away from Randy and his leadership. It was starting to get cold and she hated to think what winter would be like in that camp with flimsy tents as shelter. Even though her mother spent most of her time in bed their group had better leadership under her parents since arriving at the cabin. Her father took over command while her mother rested. She already seemed better since they arrived.

"I didn't want him to eat Sparky." The dog sat next to Stan in the boat. Sparky surprisingly got along well with her father's old dog Barney and her cats didn't seem to mind him either. "That's fucking sick dude."

"I'll keep an eye on you and Shelly." Jimbo had taken guardianship of Stanley and Shelly Marsh since neither Randy nor Sharon was with their group and McDaniels insisted they needed an adult guardian. She had said that no child should be in this shit alone without a guardian to guide them and keep them safe.

"Thanks Uncle Jimbo." Stan smiled. She hadn't seen him this happy since they left the camp.

"Whoa!"She struggled to real in a large fish. She leaned over the side of the boat and tried to pull on the wire. Despite her best efforts the large fish got away with her bait and she lost her balance and went overboard landing in freezing waters.

"Katherine!"She didn't hear the yelling after she went over. She only felt the cold. She felt breathless as she struggled to swim to the surface of the lake and wondered where the boat was. There was no reason for her to feel fear. As the reaper she couldn't die and remained immortal as long as she was the Grim Reaper. Not even the rotting corpses would go near her. It didn't stop her panicking when she couldn't breathe properly and swimming was useless. She didn't even notice someone grabbing her in the water and leading her back to the boat.

"Jesus Christ kid! I thought you were zombie bait."Jimbo exclaimed as he helped her and her father back into the boat. Barbrady had dived in after her the minute she slipped overboard.

"Got any brandy?"Barbrady asked as they gave up on fishing and returned to the cabin.

XXXX

"Aw!" He was dazed. It took him a moment to get his bearings. He couldn't tell if he were hung over or still drunk from the night before. He thought he was dreaming. He dreamt he'd spent another night with her. He was in charge and they could run the camp together if she'd just get rid of the idiot and let him.

"Mary?" He looked around his small camp. His vision blurred and he almost fell over trying to stand up. "Anyone?"

His camp was a mess. His small tent was gone and any remaining belongings were strewn across the lakeside. "S-Sharon?"

She stood over him glowering at him. Her teeth gritted in rage. He honestly had no idea why she was so pissed off. He wondered what he'd done this time. "What the hell Randy!"

"What'd I do? What'd I do?" He was genuinely confused. The command tent was gone; most of their tents were either missing or damaged. "Was there a storm last night?"

"It hailed last night. We've been robbed." Sharon shook him. It did nothing to wake him up and only triggered nausea. "All our supplies are gone and people are missing… RANDY!"

According to Sharon the others spent the night huddled in one small tent that wouldn't stay standing. It fell on them before dawn when a gust of wind blew through the countryside. He noticed bruises on his arms. He'd slept outside in the hail. "You could've let me in the tent."

She punched him. "The kids are missing. I can't find Jimbo or Ned."

"I can't find Wendy." Debbie added in panic. She was not among the remaining group who stood over him demanding answers to questions he knew nothing about.

"I don't know what's going on." They wouldn't even give him a chance to sober up. He looked around and noticed McDaniels wasn't with him. Maybe it was just a dream?

"We can't stay here Randy." Sharon insisted with urgency. "There's a snowstorm coming in. The river is too cold for bathing. It'll be frozen soon. We need proper shelter. We don't even have any tents left."

"Fucking bitch!" He realised who was responsible for this mess. She would pay for what she'd done. "She fucking robbed the camp and took half the people with her."

"The fuck are you talking about?" Stephen Stotch asked with confusion.

"Mary." He could feel the rage boiling within. He gritted his teeth and growled. Why couldn't they just accept the fact that he was in charge? "She robbed us blind and took half our manpower." He scurried around camp checking what supplies they had left. There was very little. "She took all our food and our guns and ammo!"

"What the hell are we going to do Randy?" Sharon demanded answers. "It's cold, the kids are missing and the dead are everywhere!"

"Shh!" He shushed them. They were starting to yell in their panic. "You don't want to bring them here do you?"

"You're in charge?" Laura Tucker asked meekly. "Do something."

"Alright. Alright." He had to calm them down before he had a riot on his hands or they lynched him. He had to deal with this first. As soon as he found supplies he'd find her. He had a feeling he knew where McDaniels might go. He was determined to make her pay for deceiving him. She had and was everything he wanted.

XXXX

"What happened?"She was waiting for them. She sat by the window with her knitting and crochet to pass the time. She became anxious when they were late to return.

"It's them!"Kyle Broflovski announced excited to see Stan, Kenny and the others back from their hunt.

"What happened to Kat and Barbrady?"Pete asked when he saw them. The kids sat with her by the large bay window. The cushions were all handmade. She used it as an excuse to teach Katherine sewing and embroidery.

She was shocked when she saw them. Both Katherine and her husband were wrapped in blankets shivering and soaking wet. "What happened?"

"I fell overboard trying to catch a fish?"Katherine explained. She shivered, coughed and sneezed. "Dad went to save me."

"Annie!"She didn't care if her yelling caused people nearby to cover their ears. "I need hot water bottles and heat packs now! More blankets!"

After a few minutes Katherine and Barbrady where dressed in dry clothes, wrapped in blankets and sat by the fireplace. She wouldn't allow Katherine to sit too close since they had to warm up slowly. She made them drink hot tea that had no caffeine in it even though Katherine pined for coffee. She was fortunate she had trained medical personnel both Annie and Keisha were qualified, they had Dr. Mephesto and Nurse Gollum on hand as well. She couldn't wait for them to set up a proper hospital.

XXXX

"Why do you have to go?" She held onto him tightly and refused to let go. "Please don't leave me."

"I'm sorry Mary." He kissed her tenderly as people packed two cars they'd take with them on a supply run. "Someone has to lead the supply group and someone has to stay in charge here."

She refused to let him go despite demands from the other supply runners for him to hurry it up. "You better come back."

"You could come with us." He suggested to her surprise. "I'll leave Johnson to man the cabin and lead the survivors here."

She shook her head. "No. I need time and I still don't feel good."

She'd been feeling sick for a few days. It was probably for the best she opted not to go with them since he found her curled around the toilet in the early hours that morning. "I'll be right back. I promise."

"Don't forget it." She put a separate list in his pocket as she kissed him goodbye.

He felt sorry for her. His wife had been through so much. He'd beat the shit out of Randy Marsh if he ever saw him again. He knew other survivors were starting to worry about her. She threw up in the garden before going back inside.

"Come on Barbrady!" Denny Hughes shouted as everyone was still waiting for him. "Let's go!"

"How the hell are you not sick?"Skeeter asked. "Mary didn't even go on that fishing trip."

Katherine caught a cold after falling overboard in freezing waters which eventually became the flu. She remained in her own room separated from the other survivors and the kids nicknamed it _The Sickbay._ He was sick too, but he insisted on leading the supply run. He didn't want to send anyone else with the other supply runners with his wife's private list. He suppressed the urge to cough and got in the van after Johnson yelled at him and Skeeter to hurry it up.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

"Small towns first." Fortunately the other supply runners agreed. "We need to avoid Denver and larger towns if we can."

This supply run seemed more organised that the first one he was on. He was only there because Blake rescued him from a herd and the tank and by the time they got to the roof all hell broke loose and Yates pissed him off. They never did find Harrison and chances were he was dead. He would've passed out from blood loss.

Two cars drove down the freeway. The land was barren, old cars – some of them burnt out – littered the laneway and snow capped mountains dominated the landscape. He could see empty houses in the distance. They had to stop a few times just to move cars out of their way. He hoped he could get the things on Mary's list without anyone noticing. She didn't want anyone to know and people were already worrying about her.

Among the group was Denny Hughes, Bob Jonson, Freddie Janson, Blake, PC Principal, Officer Foley, Jimbo Kern and his step children Alexander and Annie. He was surprised his wife allowed them both to go at the same time. Alex's wife Keisha was going to go with them, but he insisted either Annie or Keisha remained behind since Katherine and his wife were both sick. Keisha and Annie had medical training and were going to set up a hospital in one of the buildings on their property. They needed one doctor at the cabin at all times so Keisha remained behind this time.

The first stop was a pharmacy in Breckenridge, Colorado. Blake – while not an expert in anything to do with medicine – suggested checking doctor clinics, nursing homes and the local hospital for the supplies Annie and Keisha needed.

"We need any building materials we can find for that wall." Johnson added as they surveyed the town. They needed to make sure it was safe first and plan their escape route if anything should happen. The dead roamed freely and were often unpredictable. They could be hiding anywhere. So far the small town was empty. Quiet.

"It's too quiet." He didn't like it. Something felt off. "Don't drop your guard."

He slapped Foley – one of his rookie cops – across the back of his head as he failed to pay any attention to his surroundings. "What's got into you chief?"

"Don't be a ninny." He slapped him again before the groups split up. "Protect Annie." He shouted at Johnson and PC Principal as they went with her to get the medical supplies they needed.

"I don't need protection!" She snapped at him. She was trained in combat. She quickly took out a lone walker before it had the chance to become a threat. "See."

He sighed. His step children had their mother's stubbornness. "Just come back alive, all of you."

XXXX

She kept Katherine away from the other children. The kid was sick and a cold soon became the flu. They had just enough cough medicine and honey to help treat it. She even sacrificed one of the hens for chicken soup.

"Are you okay Mary?" Principal Victoria asked as she brought her a cup of tea.

She had a dead chicken in her lap and plucked the feathers from the bird. "I'll be fine. This chicken soup should help."

"We should put a greenhouse on the property and grow winter vegetables." Vicky suggested. She wasn't the first person to come to her with ideas on how they could turn the cabin and her land into a brand new town. Earlier that morning Skeeter asked if he could build a small tavern on the property.

"I am planning to rebuild the town here." She asked Vicky to help her cook. She still felt weak and she hadn't been herself for a long time. She wished to go back to bed, but she wanted to do something productive. "I'll take a list of any suggestions."

"It was coming right for me." Ned announced as he dragged a disembowelled deer through the kitchen.

"For the love of God Ned!" She shouted at him. "While I appreciate the deer I _don't_ appreciate dead animal entrails in my kitchen!"

"Sorry Mayor." Ned apologised meekly. He dragged the deer outside to prepare it for eating.

"Don't get that on my carpet!" She yelled after him. "You can clean the mess up while you're at it!"

Her daughter's cats were already on it. They cleaned up any meat that fell from the deer as Ned dragged it out. Stan Marsh and Katherine's friends Wendy, Bebe and Tweek noticed.

"Ew!" Bebe shrieked and ran away.

"You need to get used to it kid." Even she was aware of the Marsh boy's aversion to hunting. He looked green in the face as the cats licked the deer blood off the floor. "It's not like before. If we can't grow food we have to kill it to survive."

"I know." They asked for sandwiches for lunch as fresh made bread baked in the oven. "Uncle Jimbo says vegetarians and vegans are a first world thing from before."

"There's enough soup for everyone." She sacrificed her largest hen since the bird no longer laid any eggs. "At least we can cook properly here."

"This is much better than my dad's suck ass camp." The kids helped themselves to milk. Her son-in-law Val, Skeeter, Sheila and Blake found two cows during one of their last sweeps of nearby cabins and farms. Neighbours were few and far between so she was shocked when they brought them back. Seeing the cows was something to get out of bed for. "No shit kid."

Everyone was in a better mood since arriving at the cabin. They had proper shelter, it was heated, they had power from the generators and the solar panels on the roof, she had wells and a nearby water supply, and they had hot water and soft, warm beds. The cot she slept on in the old command tent hurt her back. While she was still physically weak she no longer woke up with stiff and aching limbs. Despite the apocalypse outside living in the cabin felt like it did before the outbreak. She felt at home.

XXXX

They would have to hurry up. He didn't like the look of the sky as ominous dark grey clouds loomed overhead. So far they had collected enough tools to construct a wall and new buildings on the property. Ideally he and his wife agreed it would be best to keep the tents packed up and unused in case they ever had to evacuate the cabin. He would have to consult with her on the evacuation plans when he returned. The ware house they entered was dark. They made very little noise and low lighting settings on any flashlights so not to disturb anything. He held little hope for America to return to how it was before. It wasn't like the Nazi zombie plague and the small outbreaks they'd experienced before. Blake called it a human extinction event and he had a feeling he was right.

He wasn't paying attention even after lecturing the other supply runners when a rotting corpse lunged at him. The putrefying bag of flesh came out of nowhere giving him little chance to react. It tackled him to the ground and there was a scuffle between the living and the dead. He struggled to reach for a gun or a knife. Alexander silenced the snarling with a swift arrow to the head. Johnson helped him up as he pushed the corpse aside.

"What the hell would I tell Mary if you didn't come back?" He asked with concern.

"Is he bit?" Jimbo asked raising his gun and aiming it at him.

"I'm fine." He assured them he hadn't been bitten or scratched. It was a close call. "Don't tell Mary."

Johnson's face fell. "I can't lie to her if she asks."

"Camel poo!" He groaned. He knew his wife would never let him on another supply run again if she found out.

XXXX

His grip on control was slipping through his fingers. After he sobered up and the group held a meeting to discuss their options without including him he took himself on a hunt to collect his thoughts.

Deep down he knew Sharon was right. They couldn't stay at the camp anymore. The lake would freeze over soon and winter was on their doorstep. Thanks to Mary McDaniels and the idiot they only had one flimsy tent and they'd gone through the last of the supplies. Eating the pets wasn't an option anymore because Stan, Shelly and Sparky ran away and McDaniels took the brat's cats with her when she left.

He tried to keep them at the lakeside for as long as possible. Tensions rose amongst the group and he feared they might lynch him or abandon him in the middle of the night just as Mary had done. He couldn't think what he'd done to deserve any of this. If it weren't for him and his leadership skills half the people in his group wouldn't even be alive.

"We just have to find new shelter." He tried to be reassuring but he was losing patience with everyone. Why couldn't they just see things his way?

"You said that yesterday." Linda Stotch snapped with frustration. She shivered in the cold as Mary and her group of traitors had stolen a lot of clothes and linen from camp when they left. "We haven't even started looking and I think there's a snowstorm coming."

"I want KFC!" Eric Cartman whined. Liane was ignoring his outburst and he needed everyone quite since noise attracted the undead.

"We have to eat what's available hon." His mother did little to calm him. The little fat kid was cold, hungry and frustrated along with everyone else. The offering of a fish fry did little to appease him.

"I want the old America back!" Whining gave way to high pitched squealing. He'd told McDaniels off for allowing a baby to cry. Noise had to be kept to a minimum. Eric Cartman would not stop. "I want fried chicken god damn it!"

"All we have is the fish. It's an apocalypse kid!" If everyone else could suck it up and deal with it then why couldn't Eric?

"Whaaaa!" Eric threw a fit. He could not be silenced and not even threats of undead corpses hunting them down would make him shut up. "Give me fucking KFC!"

"Snap out of it Eric!" Young Butters punched Eric in the face. The fat kid was stunned, but the punch silenced him for a second before he started his pathetic wailing again.

"I wanna go home!" Eric threw himself on the ground kicking and screaming. Liane Cartman and Roger Donovan couldn't calm him down no matter what they tried.

"Oh my god!" He knew this would happen. He saw them coming through the treas. It was a decent herd and they'd burn through their bullets before they could even make a dent.

Despite the incoming threat the little fat kid would not shut up. People screamed and some people ran. Evading the dead seemed like the best option with very little ammo. Not only that, Mary had stolen most of their knives even those used in cooking. It frustrated him because he could have easily dispatched the heard using the guns and the manpower they once had. He blood boiled. He took Sharon and a few others urging them to the nearest vehicle. At least McDaniels had left them with something. People who ran were on their own. There was nothing he could do about it and no amount of people screaming at him to go back and help the others would change his mind. They would have to wait until the herd dispersed before they could return and collect their remaining supplies from the campsite. In the mean time he looked at this as an opportunity to find temporary shelter. They needed to recover and regroup before he decided what he should do next.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

They regrouped on a highway after they hid in burnt out cars as a herd passed them by.

"What the hell was that?"Laura Tucker asked with fear in her eyes and visibly shaking.

"It's creepy."Linda concurred. "All of them marching along like that."

"Are they migrating or something?" Roger asked. No one had seen the undead behave like that before.

"I don't know." He searched through abandoned cars on the highway.

"What are you doing Randy?"Sharon looked confused and irritated. "Why are you searching through cars when we should be looking for shelter?"

"These cars could have things we need Sharon."He reminded her tartly. He grew tired of her as she fought him every step of the way and questioned his abilities as a leader when they first arrived at camp. "Food, tools, medicine…"He found a pack of water bottles that hadn't been opened in the trunk of an abandoned SUV similar to the one Mary owned. "Water."

"There's luggage over here."Stephen Stotch announced a little too loudly. "Jackets, pants, clothes, blankets…"

The cars gave them extra supplies, but it didn't recover even half of what they lost when Mary and her traitors abandoned them with next to nothing. "Any tents?"

"No." Roger found nothing, but Maggie Yates could see an RV up ahead. It was much nicer than the one Denny Hughes owned.

"Score!"He exclaimed with excitement when he saw it was in great condition and only needed fuel. There was enough from some of the cars littered across the highway.

"How are we going to move it Randy?"Stephen asked as abandoned cars blocked the RV. They would have to move them and fill the fuel tank before they could go anywhere and he still wanted any remaining supplies left at the old camp site. Moving the RV and getting just some of the cars to run again wasn't his only problem.

XXXX

There wasn't much left at the pharmacy, but they did have the items on Mary's private list. He pocketed one item he didn't want anyone to know about while he was sure no one was watching.

"George?"The voice was familiar. He jumped out of his skin because he could see the other supply runners in front of him.

"Rupert?" He was shocked to see them. He knew Mary would be thrilled if he brought them back to the cabin. Eleanor was among their small group which included people he didn't know. His wife had the same blue hair and green eyes as her Canadian mother whereas she had Rupert's sarcastic attitude and low tolerance level for stupid people.

"Where's Mary?"He knew Rupert would ask about her since he could see she wasn't with them.

"We have the cabin. Mary and the younger kids are there."He started coughing. He was sick after diving in freezing water after Katherine and he knew he shouldn't be out on a supply run while he was ill. Regardless, he wanted to get the things on Mary's list without everyone else knowing.

"What are you doing outside in the cold?"Eleanor asked with concern. He was nervous when Mary brought him home to meet them, but her parents were nice people and they got along well.

"Last supply run for now."He wouldn't tell them his exact reason for being outside during winter in the middle of an apocalypse. "We're setting up a hospital on the property and building a wall to keep the dead out."

"You got food?"He was a young man in his twenties with long brown hair and a beard. He looked like Alexander when he was a teen.

"How many people?"Johnson asked. He didn't notice his wife's aide come up behind him. Johnson made him jump. "Sorry Barbrady."

"It's just the six of us here."Eleanor replied. Along with Eleanor and Rupert there were two men in their thirties and forties, a woman in her twenties and another woman who looked to be the same age as Mary.

"Candice?"He asked about his wife's younger sister even though Mary didn't talk to her anymore.

"Haven't seen her since this all started."Eleanor replied. It was Rupert who asked if they could help. They hadn't had proper food or shelter for weeks.

"You can come back with us."Barbrady helped the other supply runners load boxes into cars. "Mary will be glad to see you."

XXXX

She rested. She didn't get out of bed much and still felt worn. She felt like she needed a break. People didn't question it. They were glad to see her out of her room when she did emerge, but gave her the space she needed when she didn't feel like being around people.

She worried about Barbrady and the other supply runners. They were late back to the cabin and she hoped nothing had gone wrong. She wanted them all back alive especially George and her older children. She spent time sleeping and caring for Katherine who was still sick with the flu. The chicken soup she made came up again and she worried when the kid didn't eat and wouldn't keep food down. She had trouble treating the flu since Katherine hated the cough medicine and the taste of Manuka honey which was supposed to help.

"No."Katherine hid from her and refused the cough syrup. "That stuff is gross."

"It'll help you feel better."She was too tired for an argument. She needed to treat the flu before it spread to the other survivors. She had a feeling George was sick too since he rescued Katherine from the freezing water.

Katherine coughed scaring the kittens that slept on her bed. "Make it stop."

"It'll only get better if you take the medicine."She finally managed to get her to take the medicine and the honey. Katherine was given pain killers and she re-heated a hot water bottle. "As soon as you're better you can go to training with your friends."

Education still included math and spelling much to Katherine's dismay, but changes had been made to the original school curriculum. Classes now included hand to hand combat training, outdoor survival classes, gun and weapons training along with hunting and fishing. It was more about survival than it was about finishing school, getting a job and buying a house. Things had drastically changed in such a short amount of time.

"Can I go to training now?" Katherine coughed into her pillow. She still had a fever and she was weak from not eating.

"You're not well enough for training right now." The kid groaned with annoyance. She didn't blame her. She hated being sick and bedbound because of it as well. "They should be back with new medicine soon, but you still need to rest kid. We can't let this spread either."

"Can I at least get something to read?" Kat whined. "I'm bored."

She gave her some survival books to study as well as stories for recreational reading. She noticed snow falling outside and fetched another blanket. Being Australian her adopted daughter wasn't used to the bitter winters of Colorado. "I should get more books for the library on the next supply run."

"Comic books would be good." Kat suggested. "Everyone reads them."

Katherine's complaining about being bored even while sick gave her something to think about. They needed entertainment. She would have to take suggestions and organise a council meeting once she put the new on together. It would have to wait until Barbrady returned and in the meantime people had to occupy themselves.

XXXX

"Mom?" She shook her. She rolled over in her sleep and when she woke up she realised she wasn't in her bed.

"Don't shake me Annie!" She grumbled. She was feeling queasy and shaking her only triggered nausea. She needed to vomit and had been throwing up all day. She had a small break from the constant nausea and it was just long enough for her to check on Katherine.

"Mom?" It took her a minute to realise the supply runners had returned from Breckenridge. Annie had gone with her step father and her brother to collect provisions.

"Annie!" She was relieved to see her. They were late back from their run and she was starting to get concerned as a snowstorm was coming. She hugged her eldest daughter. "Where's George?"

"Downstairs." She dragged her along with her. "There's a surprise."

"What surprise?" She asked with confusion as Annie hurried her downstairs. She saw George first and was relieved to have him back along with Alexander her eldest son. "You came back to me!"

"I've got a surprise for you." George smiled when he wrapped her in one of his big bear hugs.

"What is it?" She hoped he wouldn't tell anyone just yet. She wanted privacy until she knew for sure.

"Mary?" She almost fainted when she saw her parents for the first time in months. She was wondering what happened to them since the apocalypse started.

"Mom? Dad?" She could hardly believe it. Her family were all under one roof even during a zombie outbreak. She embraced them just to see if they were even real. She hoped she wasn't hallucinating.

"We brought help." Eleanor said as she introduces their small group to her. There were eight new people including her parents.

"I think we may need to build another small house on the property." She didn't mind the new people. They seemed capable. She would have to keep an eye on them for a while first because she knew she could trust everyone else she already had with her.

"Where do we sleep ma'am?" A young man in his twenties asked. He wore tattered clothes and had a beard and long brown hair. He looked like Alexander as a teen and she knew Barbrady could see it too.

"Everyone sleeps inside for now." She had sofa beds and spare cots from the camp. She was glad she decided to take those as well because they definitely needed them now. "There's a snowstorm coming and I don't want anyone outside not even in the RVs."

"I'll go bring our things inside." Denny went to collect his family's belongings since he owned one of the RVs.

"That includes you as well Blake." She said as Blake and Officer Foley were bringing in boxes full of medication and first aid gear. "We have better heating in here."

"I don't mind sleeping on the floor in front of one of those fireplaces." Barbrady was lighting them while the other supply runners brought in what they found.

"I'm glad we stole the cots from the old camp." Johnson and Alexander were helping the new group members set up the beds.

"What's your name kid?" She asked as the young man who resembled her eldest son lay on the couch.

"Trent." He was from Fairplay. He used to play for a metal band and worked as a bank teller before the apocalypse started. "This is the comfiest bed I've had in weeks."

The new members were able to shower and settle in. They didn't mind the makeshift beds since they had proper shelter. She would have to give them jobs and they could assist with building the wall. "I do have to warn you all first."

They stopped and listened intently after Barbrady gave them hot coffee. "What is it?"

"We have kids with special abilities here." They would not be familiar with The Freedom Pals or even Katherine. "Some of the children actually have superpowers and you will see those during training. I need you to do me a favour. Please, for the love of god don't piss my daughter Katherine off."

They seemed confused. She had to explain it in more detail, but Katherine's rage had caused extensive damage to the old South Park before. "She's usually good at keeping her powers in check. Just don't make her mad."

"Where is Katherine?" Barbrady asked with concern since she was sick when he left.

"She's upstairs asleep. Katherine has the flu. We're making sure it doesn't spread." She made George go upstairs to bed the minute he started coughing. She never liked it when he was sick. It always reminded her of finding him in the streets, bringing him home before she fired him a second time and caring for him since his time outside had made him sick. "You need rest George. You shouldn't have gone on the supply run."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

They huddled together in a feeble attempt to keep warm. The RV they found was still a better option for shelter during the storm than the barn he saw nearby. He wondered if any corpses wandered around outside. He couldn't hear the moans over the howling wind. He kept the flashlight low and the curtains closed. No one was allowed to peak.

"Where are we going to go Randy?"Sharon demanded for the umpteenth time.

He wouldn't tell her. He wouldn't tell anyone where they were going. All he said was the new place had adequate shelter. "We'll be fine. We just can't go anywhere right now."

"I need the bathroom."Stephen Stotch complained. No one wanted to go outside in the storm that raged around them.

"The bathroom's back there."The RV had a toilet. It was one of the first things he checked for when he inspected it.

"We need more food."Maggie Yates whined. No one liked the way he rationed food. He was just trying to do what was best for the group. They didn't listen to him and he could tell they were getting sick of him. He seethed in silent rage and said nothing as he plotted revenge against Mary McDaniels. It was her fault they were in this mess.

"Has anyone seen Liane Cartman?"Linda asked. It was chaos at camp the minute the fat kid started bawling over the lack of Kentucky fried chicken.

"I thought she was with you."Sharon hadn't seen her either. They waited for Liane on the highway because she knew as well as anyone to wait there in case camp was overrun.

"We'll check around for her when the storm passes, but if we can't find her soon we just have to move on without her."He wasn't going to bother searching for her. It was her little fat kid that brought the herd on them in the first place. As far as he was concerned he didn't have any sympathy for Liane. She was on her own.

XXXX

Snow started to fall. Still she couldn't stop. If she stopped she was dead. After her son started wailing the herd emerged from the woods surrounding camp. She couldn't save Eric. They tore him from her. All she could hear was the screaming. She couldn't stop.

She swerved to avoid two straggling zombies trying to grab her as she ran by. She popped off rounds at any zombie in range. They just kept coming. She couldn't stop. Her legs felt like jelly. She wanted water. She screamed as a mangled corpse grabbed her by the hair. She swung around and plunged a dagger into its skull.

"Shit!"It was all the bullets she had left. The bullets she'd used didn't even make a dint in the undead crowd. She could see nothing but trees. Trees and the undead. There was nothing left. She continued to run until the toes on her left foot were caught in the routes on a tree. Only the dead could hear her scream as she scurried away from a zombified woman crawling towards her, snarling and gnashing teeth.

All she could see was a hooded figure. She wondered if it were death as everything went black.

XXXX

"Is everyone here?" She asked as the wind howled outside. She could tell it was going to be a harsh winter as the snowstorm rolled in. She thanked God George and the supply runners made it back before the storm hit. Barbrady was sick and she made sure he slept in the sickbay away from other survivors. She hated it, but she didn't want anyone else to get sick. Fortunately the sickbay had bunk beds and George and Katherine could recover.

"Everyone is accounted for mayor." She hadn't heard her old title for a long time, but this property was going to become the new South Park after a few modifications.

"We have plenty of food and water so there isn't any need to go outside." She made it clear that she didn't want anyone wandering around in the heavy snow. "There are bathrooms inside and we'll deal with any mess the dogs make inside."

She noticed the relief on Stan Marsh's face when she assured people it didn't matter. Katherine's cats had litter trays and made themselves comfortable by the fireplace in the main living room.

"What do we do now?" Kyle Broflovski asked as kids were looking for something to do.

"There are plenty of books and board games. We just have to wait it out." Before the apocalypse the cabin was used as her family retreat away from town. She was glad she bought the cabin and lived off the grid whenever she needed a break. It was the perfect set up for just this kind of disaster. People started to relax. The kids were safe and no one complained about being cold and hungry. She prepared chicken noodle soup for the survivors, fresh baked crusty bread and fresh apple pies were baking in the oven. She sank into a recliner chair as she waited for food. She was much more relaxed since she abandoned Randy at his old camp. She smirked as she didn't have to worry about him anymore. After everything he did she didn't care what happened to him. As far as she was concerned Randy had brought any misfortune he endured upon himself.

XXXX

When it first started it looked like a few weird and random attacks on the news. From what she could see on the TV at the time they looked like homeless people. This was nothing new for South Park. Weird attacks and even random takeovers of the town were commonplace. She thought nothing of it until she was working one night and a woman in a business suit lunged at her while snarling and gnashing teeth.

She spent a few days in county jail for stabbing the woman in self defence. She noticed more hysteria in the people the cops brought into the station over the coming weeks. Eventually Sergeant Harrison Yates and the other officers had no choice but to let her and the other prisoners out so they could assist with handling the incoming threat. She remembered seeing Yates standing on a squad car shooting at crazy people below.

She didn't realise until South Park had been abandoned and the problem became a global one that they were dealing with more than a few crazy people police originally thought were high on some weird drug.

She couldn't find anyone she knew in the chaos. The streets weren't fit to be on and even though she could take care of herself she never approached people she didn't know especially if they looked like they'd been bit. The world had gone to hell and she was determined to find her god daughter. For a long time she was convinced she was the only one left. It was a surprise to stumble across someone she knew.

"Shit!" She exclaimed as she helped her up. "This world's getting a whole lot smaller."

XXXX

"Rabble, rabble, rabble!" He didn't care to listen to their protests. It was his decision and he was sticking to it. He wanted to get to Mary's cabin before winter really set in. He told them if they couldn't find her after the storm passed Liane Cartman was on her own.

"Less people make us weaker Randy!" He didn't need Stephen Stotch to remind him. He wished they would just trust him without asking stupid questions.

"She could still be alive." Sharon protested. He ignored her as she insisted they set up a search for Liane.

"Do you want to stay out here all winter or do you want shelter?!" He snapped at them. He was barely hanging onto control. He could sense a mutiny if they didn't get to the cabin soon.

"Where is this shelter you speak of?" Roger Donovan asked with resentment. He knew Roger and the others were starting to get sick of him.

"Not far." He didn't want to give them any specific details or Sharon would get suspicious.

"I'm starting to think you're full of shit and there isn't any shelter." Roger shot back at him. "There's never going to be any place like it was before all this Randy."

"Fine!" He snapped. He knew they were useless on their own. They needed a leader and he didn't understand why they couldn't see him as that leader. He did more for them as a group than anyone else. He was the first to take charge when the world went to shit because Mary was grieving for the idiot. "You don't want shelter, you don't want to come with me let's see how long you last on your own." He circled them looking for anyone – mainly Roger – to pick a fight with. "There's the door. I don't owe you assholes anything. You'd all be dead if it weren't for me leading you out of town. I'm the one that set up camp and made it safe. You assholes didn't do shit. I'm looking for shelter for us and you shit on me. Think you can last out there. Go on. Hit the road. See if I care…"

"That's enough Randy!" He could barely hear his ex-wife yelling at him as he remained stuck on his tangent.

"Go on." He circled them with clenched fists and spoke through gritted teeth. "Hope you're new life is nice. Why don't you send me a postcard?"

"Okay, okay." They simultaneously backed away from him and Roger Donovan kept his mouth shut.

"Let's make one thing clear." He had their undivided attention. "This isn't a democracy anymore. It's my way or the highway. I'm in charge. Don't forget that!"


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

Even though she'd lost her son and the world turned to shit she was glad she wasn't alone. She knew Randy and the others would leave her behind so she didn't bother going back to camp after she regained consciousness and realised she wasn't dead. For the longest time she was certain there was nothing left in the world. No matter where they went the buildings were dilapidated and not one was fit to restore for adequate shelter. In the first few days after the attack on camp it didn't matter much. A harsh snow storm sent them sheltering in a barn for three days. Classi didn't mind sharing her food even though she didn't have much left. It was nice to see someone else from South Park who hadn't been zombified.

"We'll go north once the storm clears." Classi interrupted her chain of thought. There wasn't a real plan just survival. She wondered if there was something of the old world left. Maybe other groups had made decent shelter and took in others. She doubted it, but Classi kept telling her there had to be a reason for her to keep going.

"You don't want to be another dead fuck." She would say.

She was surprised by how well they blended in with the undead horde. She didn't think it would work but Classi assured her they'd kept her safe and alive since the plague started. She kept two pet zombies on chains. They weren't just useful for protection. Classi used them as pack mules allowing them to carry more stuff with them on their journey through a barren land.

Classi had removed the jaws of her zombie pets so they couldn't bite them and she'd cut off their arms so they couldn't grab them. They'd lost interest in wanting to eat. It was both creepy and fascinating to her. She couldn't focus on what Classi was saying. Existing was exhausting and she knew she was coming down with the flu. Winter was setting in and they both knew they had to find proper shelter soon. There had to be somewhere that would be suitable for a long term stay over winter. That was just one snow storm they sat through and more and worse storms were coming.

"Come on bitch." Classi deemed it safe enough to leave for a supply run. "This hoe's gotta eat."

XXXX

She shut herself in her master bedroom away from the others. She jumped when she heard knocking at the door.

"Who is that?" She asked nervously. She fumbled with a small box and hesitated to open it. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to know. Guilt gnawed at her and she couldn't shake it.

"It's just me?" George and Katherine had recovered from the flu and were allowed to interact with other survivors again. As soon as he was well enough he was sharing her bed again.

"It's open." She was shaking. She couldn't even bring herself to open the box despite asking George to get it for her on his last supply run.

"What's wrong?" He asked with concern as he noticed she was nervous.

"I don't know what to do." She'd started sobbing uncontrollably and dropped the box.

"It's going to be okay sweetie." He assured her. He kissed her gently and retrieved the small box she'd dropped in her panic.

She sighed heavily and took the box from him when she regained composure. "I guess I have to do this."

XXXX

"Can I come?" She knew they were going hunting. She'd seen a horse that had obviously escaped from a farm and wanted to catch the animal.

"I don't think mom would be okay with that." Her older brother looked nervous as he was packing up his motorcycle and equipment. He had a crossbow draped over his shoulder.

"Dad?" She was determined to find the horse and bring it to the cabin. She had a reason and horses were useful for more than just food. "I want to catch a horse."

She had wrangled her friends into joining her, but she knew her adoptive mother would never let them go outside the perimeter unsupervised.

"Mnnm. Horse meat's good eaten.'" Ned Gerblanski spoke with a voice box after his vocal chords were removed because of throat cancer caused by smoking.

She was horrified. "I don't want to _eat_ the horse."

"What else would you do with it?" Stan's Uncle Jimbo asked. "There are no rodeos now so there's no point in riding it."

"What about when the cars run out of gas and we can't find any anymore?" She smirked triumphantly. They knew she had a point.

"Touché." Her older brother exclaimed clearly impressed.

"It wouldn't hurt." Blake added. "We'll have to look for alternatives for cars eventually."

"Ask your mother first kid. I don't want to get into trouble." Her dad obviously wanted to let her go out and catch the wild horse, but he didn't want to get into trouble from her mother if she didn't ask first.

"Okay." She ran into the house looking for her mother. The main reason for catching the wild horse was so it wasn't eaten. She didn't want him to become zombie meat.

XXXX

He refused to talk to anyone as soon as he found a car they could use. They broke down further up the road and had to search for another car. The RV couldn't get through a car crash pile up and he reluctantly abandoned it.

"Where the hell are we going Randy?" Sharon asked with frustration as they'd stopped to rest yet again.

"Finding shelter." He was vague for a reason and all he could think about was revenge. He wanted to get rid of the fat bumbling idiot and didn't understand what Mary even saw in Officer Barbrady.

"It's the middle of nowhere Randy!" Stephen Stotch whined. "There's nothing here."

Unknown to them Mary McDaniels had a cabin deep in the mountains. He knew exactly where it was and he knew that's exactly where she would run to. "It's not that far."

" _What's not that far_?" Sharon looked sceptical and so did the others. "We've been walking for miles."

"More like a death march if you ask me." Roger Donovan was getting on his last nerve.

Clyde started to cry. "Waah! I wanna go home!"

"Don't you start?" He snapped without caring that he was yelling at a kid. "It's because of the little fat kid we don't have a camp anymore."

"Randy?!" He didn't care if his ex-wife was disgusted with him. He even wished he'd left them behind on the highway.

"I told you there's shelter." He ignored Sharon and anyone else who tried to interrupt or complain. "It isn't far and if you don't want to freeze to death you'll shut up and come with me!"

XXXX

"Come on! Come on!" She anxiously paced back and forth while her husband sat on the couch by the bed twiddling his thumbs. She knew he was nervous for the result as much as she was.

"It's going to be okay Mary." He kept trying to reassure her but nothing could calm her down. She still wasn't even sure she wanted to know the result.

"I can't stand this!" She panicked. Sweat dripped down her brow as she waited for the timer.

A bell dinged. The test was sitting on the breakfast table by the window. She kept one in her room in case she didn't want to leave it to eat.

"W-what is it?" George asked nervously. She could see him shaking as he fidgeted with his police cap.

She took a deep breath. It did nothing to calm her down. She couldn't even bring herself to look at the test. "Oh God!"

"Mary?" He came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her. "What is it?"

"I-I…" She stammered. Her hands shook as she held the test up for him to see. "I'm pregnant. I'm going to have a baby."

She felt like she would faint. She didn't know the paternity of her unborn child because of her tryst with Randy Marsh back at camp. She hated herself for it. She couldn't tell for sure, but she desperately hoped the child was Barbrady's.

He turned her around so she could face him. He was very understanding because he knew she never wanted to be with Randy. He was well aware of her hatred towards her former friend. He held her belly in his hands. "No matter what this kid is mine."

She wrapped her arms around him. Despite everything she hadn't lost him.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

Ahead they could hear the whirring before they realised where the noise was coming from. It didn't make sense. She was certain there were no more planes or even helicopters in the air.

"You ain't tripping' hoe. I see it too." Classi urged them forward as her zombie pets became restless. They'd stopped to rest under some trees when she saw the helicopter fly past.

"I didn't think anyone still used them?" She like everyone else had heard rumours of another refugee centre. She was sure it was just another pipe dream considering the one she was heading too with her old group was overrun.

"Come on!" Classi yanked the chains and the pets trailed along behind them.

She didn't allow herself to hope. She still believed that this was a dream and she'd wake up somewhere else. She had to stop to allow for coughing fits. The flu hit her hard and she'd been sick for almost a week. Classi was patient and for some reason she refused to leave her behind.

They felt it before they realised what had happened. The ground shook, trees collapsed and a flock of birds squawked as the fled the falling tree. Smoke billowed towards the sky. The helicopter had crash landed and in doing so crushed her hope of finding other people and even proper shelter.

XXXX

She was in a good mood. Everyone was. Since people were going out to hunt she decided to have a feast for the other survivors. They weren't just surviving together. The others had only added to her family. The cops and everyone who'd betrayed her during the Mitch Conner campaign had redeemed themselves. That didn't mean they were allowed to slip up. She kept a watchful eye on them.

She decided not to mention her pregnancy to anyone other than her blood relatives. She wanted to avoid gossip for as long as possible. She opted not to drink despite the party. She had put together a new city council and the cabin was to become the new South Park city hall. They had everything they needed to begin construction on the wall and used the perimeter system in the meantime.

"Holy crap dude!" Kyle Broflovski exclaimed as he noticed the hunting party returning to the cabin.

"What is it?" People had gathered by the window and others had gone outside to see.

"I did it!" Katherine came back riding a black and white stallion she caught. She'd been tracking him for months and it looked like the horse was healthy.

"She's got a point mom." Alexander explained what it was for and she knew they were right. The fuel supply wouldn't last long and it definitely wouldn't outlast the apocalypse that surrounded them.

"He doesn't even need to eat much and we have plenty of hey in the barn." Katherine was overwhelmed with excitement. They already had horses on the property. She bought Katherine a pony when she turned ten and she got a thoroughbred mare for herself to ride.

"We can use the horses for our defence mayor." Jimbo Kern suggested. "Hopefully we don't need to, but it could be useful in case we have to keep people out not just the dead fucks."

"Horses go in the stables." She would have to consult Barbrady, Alexander and Blake on setting up a small army for defence purposes especially during any construction projects around the property. "Come on inside. I've already started cooking."

XXXX

He knew the cabin wasn't much further up the mountain. Snow started to fall and the roads going uphill were slippery.

"Someone help me!" Sharon shrieked as she lost her footing, fell over and slid down the hill. The weather didn't help them get there any quicker and he was the only one who knew where they were going.

"I got you!" Roger Donovan and Maggie Yates helped Sharon up the hill. They all stopped to rest when they were sure no one was going to fall over again.

"Oh come on!" He snapped with frustration. If he weren't lugging dead weight along with him they'd be there already. "It's almost dark."

The days were shorter and the nights were much darker. There was less visibility with the snowfall and he was determined to get to Mary's cabin just for some shelter. He could always worry about revenge later unless he had to confront the idiot.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell us where we're going Randy!" Sharon snapped angrily. "There's nothing out here. There's no shelter and we'll freeze to death before the dead people get us."

They were cold, tired and hungry. They didn't listen to him about rationing food and now they had none left. That wasn't exactly his fault. He was starting to wonder why he even bothered helping them at all. "There is so a cabin out here. It's not that far. You people need to stop your bitching."

"It's probably like this other refugee centre I keep hearing about." Roger Donovan interjected. He handed his jacket to Clyde who'd started shivering just as the wind picked up and more snow fell. "It's nothing but another pipe dream."

"I'm beginning to think you're full of shit Randy." Stephen Stotch had turned on him as well. "I haven't been able to trust you since you sent my gardener to the detention centre and blew up my yard because I wanted to grow my own weed!"

"You guys want to stay here and freeze that's fine by me." He stormed up the hill without them. He knew they'd follow him eventually since no one wanted to get caught in another snow storm. "I'm going to this cabin. It has warm beds and heating. And did I mention hot water?"

He was right. Because he could hear them talking shit about him under their breath as they trailed along behind.

XXXX

She couldn't focus on the helicopter crash. Still recovering from the flu and feeling nauseated she threw up in a nearby bush. Classi asked her to stay with the zombie pets as she tied their chains to a tree. She slumped and tried not to cough. The zombies were drawn by sound and she didn't want to make too much noise. The zombie pets offered some protection but it would not be enough if to conceal them if she brought a herd down upon them.

Classi left briefly to check out the crash site. She was looking for any supplies from the helicopter and any survivors. They had to have come from a sheltered space somewhere. Maybe anyone well enough to walk could take them there. She just wanted a place that was safe.

She hid behind the tree and tried to suppress the urge to cough as three cars approached the crash site. Classi had noticed them too because she quickly returned to their hiding spot and used a samurai sword to take out her zombie pets so they didn't draw attention to them. They didn't know anything about the new comers so it was best to observe them to see if they could even trust them enough to reveal themselves. Classi shushed her as six men spread out across the crash site and plunged knives into the skulls of the dead men that littered the forest clearing along with carnage from the helicopter.

"Come on Mackey get your hands dirty for once." She recognised the school councillor but not the other soldiers inspecting the scene.

"M'Kay." She couldn't tell what Mackey was looking for. She just noticed he looked nervous despite being with other people.

She didn't even recognise the large man with grey hair and an eye patch. She regarded him with intense fascination until she felt the barrel of a gun pressed into her back.

"Turn around ladies and drop your weapons." She recognised the voice and hoped it wasn't real. This _had_ to be a bad dream. She was so confused she didn't know what was going on.

"Oh hell no!" Classi clamoured with obvious disgust. "I was hoping I'd never see your ugly ass again!"

"H-holy shit!" He smirked at them as he waved a shotgun in their faces while ordering them to face this. "Mrs. Cartman? Long time no see."

She wanted to puke. She felt weak at the knees. She fainted in shock at the sight of him.

XXXX

Back at camp she didn't think she'd experience another party again. At the cabin they could have a life despite the disaster that surrounded them. The purpose of the party was to celebrate the construction projects around the cabin including the wall. She wanted to welcome the newcomers so they felt at home and she also wanted to celebrate the new South Park.

She busied herself in the kitchen with the other women preparing food. They had more than enough to go around and they wouldn't be going without even after the party was over. She had a record playing in the background and the kids ran through the house chasing each other with water cannons. Every now and again she would make her rounds and take trays of food out to guests who relaxed in the living and dining rooms. The cops were playing poker even though no one used money anymore and Alexander played an acoustic guitar.

"You want to help me in the kitchen kid?" She noticed Katherine hovering around the kitchen and following people who had food trays.

"Okay." Katherine volunteered to keep an eye on the venison stew she was making. She was also preparing lasagne, roasted chicken and vegetables she picked from the garden that morning, a glazed ham, pot roasted beef, macaroni and cheese and pies for dessert were baking in the oven.

"It smells like Christmas!" Katherine exclaimed with excitement.

"I made cookies." She set aside a plate for Katherine and handed the rest out to the other survivors and her little children who'd been hanging around for them.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

She didn't know how they got there. Yates had taken them back to a place they didn't recognise. It looked warm enough, but they didn't know anything about the people who tended to them. Since she was sick and still coughing they'd given her medicine and their doctor ordered her to rest. She and Classi had a small room to themselves. It was comfortable and reminded her of what the world was like before the outbreak. The double bed was soft and layered with multiple mismatched blankets. There was a radiator in the corner actually in use. She hadn't been in a warm room since before they arrived at Randy Marsh's camp just outside town.

"The hell is this place." Classi tried to look out the window only to see they'd boarded it up. She was right of course. She didn't know where they were or even if she'd actually seen Sergeant Harrison Yates alive. They left him behind in Denver and she didn't know how he'd survived since Officer Barbrady handcuffed him to the roof.

"Do they take in people?" The bed was comfortable and she'd covered herself with blankets. "This could be that other refugee centre I've been hearing about."

"I don't like it." Classi couldn't see this as a good thing. They didn't have access to their weapons and when Classi opened the door to take a peak they were under guard.

"This is the best I've had since this all started." She told Classi. "It has to be better than the Randy's camp."

"Hey! Hey!" Classi banged on the door and proceeded to make a scene to get some attention. "Open this door! You can't keep us in here!"

"Keep noise to a minimum lady." Harrison Yates arrived with Mr. Mackey in tow.

"You again!" Classi clearly regarded Yates with bitterness and resentment.

"That's no way to talk to the man who just saved your asses." Yates made himself comfortable in the recliner chair. While the room was small it was equipped with a double bed, shelves containing extra blankets and pillows, along with books and magazines to read. There was also a small table and two chairs in the corner closest to the bed. While Classi was agitated and wanted to leave she was content to stay where she was. She was so worn she felt like she could sleep for a week.

"How's Barbrady these days?" Harrison Yates asked while dismissing Classi's angry outbursts.

"O-oh?" She quickly realised what this discussion was going to be about. "I haven't seen him in a while."

"Is he dead?" He drilled them with questions considering she was part of the supply run team that left Yates cuffed to the rooftop.

"N-not that I know of." She hadn't seen Officer Barbrady, Mayor McDaniels or anyone else since McDaniels and other survivors robbed and abandoned their camp site. She hadn't seen Randy Marsh, Sharon Marsh, Linda Stotch or any of the others that were left behind in camp since her son started wailing for Kentucky Fried Chicken and brought a large herd down upon them. She filled him in regarding everything that had happened in the last few months. "I-I lost my little Eric." She couldn't will the tears to stop. The last time she'd seen her own son he was surrounded by the dead screaming. He wanted his mother and there was nothing she could do.

"Barbrady will wish he was dead." She was shocked he'd say such a thing. Before the outbreak Harrison Yates and George Barbrady were the best of friends. She quickly understood why Yates would want revenge against his former superior when he removed a prosthetic arm fitted with a blade to reveal scarred, charred skin and a stump where his left hand used to be.

"Oh dear." She actually liked Officer Barbrady and even considered him a friend. She didn't want to help Yates get his revenge against him.

"You wouldn't happen to know where he is would you?" Yates insisted on honest answers from them. He believed Classi when she said she hadn't seen anyone else since the outbreak started.

"The camp was overrun. The dead took Eric. T-they left me behind so I don't know where they are."She couldn't even tell him where else they might go since Barbrady and McDaniels robbed their camp blind.

"Why would Mary be so petty?" He asked with curiosity. He scooted his seat closer to them while they sat on the bed after Classi had calmed down from her initial outburst. He quickly turned his attention to Mr. Mackey who stood in the doorway before pressing her for details. "Go boil some tea Mackey."

"M'Kay." Mackey left and promptly did as he was instructed. Yates explained the rations regarding alcohol and how he'd prefer scotch.

"What do you want me to tell you?" She just wanted to go to sleep. She hadn't slept properly in weeks. Yates wouldn't leave them alone until he got all the details.

"Mayor McDaniels wouldn't do shit like that without a reason." Yates handed them cups of warm tea when Mackey returned with a tray. "What pissed the bitch off?"

She had no choice but to tell him and she quickly realised Mary McDaniels robbed the camp because she couldn't take the gossip about her. "She slept with Randy Marsh."

Yates spat his tea out in shock. "Eew! No way! Really?" He regarded her with disbelief since everyone in town knew she was with Officer Barbrady. "Mary and Randy? This better not be bullshit."

"No." She shook her head. "It happened while we were in Denver for the supply run. I found out when I got back."

"I didn't think Marsh was her type." He muttered with disgust. "Isn't he married?"

"We thought Barbrady was dead." She explained. She didn't know how it happened. She just heard that it did.

Yates leaned back in his chair still shocked by this news. "I thought she had standards."

Once Yates was satisfied with the information she had given him they were allowed to rest. Mr. Mackey assured them they would be treated to a proper breakfast and more hot tea the following morning. Despite the grief she still felt for her young son it was the best sleep she'd had in a long time. For the first time since the outbreak began she felt safe.

XXXX

"See!" A smug smirk broadened across his face when they finally reached the cabin Mary McDaniels owned. "I told you there was a cabin out here."

"Hold on a second." Sharon blocked him as he was about to walk down the driveway.

"You're kind of in the way Sharon." He couldn't get past her. If he moved she moved with him. She blocked him from going any further. "I thought you said you wanted shelter."

"How did you know this was here Randy?" She glowered at him and her fists clenched at her side. He knew she was ready to punch him.

"That's a good question." Roger Donovan and the others flanked Sharon baking her up. "How did you know this was here?"

"It's Mary's." He tried pushing past them but they pushed him back. He regained his balance before he went sliding down the hill. The road leading to the cabin was on an incline.

He became frustrated with them because he longed to be inside. The cabin was surrounded by lush snow covered pine trees and forest. Large mountains loomed behind the four story property. He knew Mary and her traitors were inside as he noticed the lights and the faint sound of music coming from the cabin. Smoke billowed from the chimneys and he knew it would be warm inside.

"Would you rather stay out here?" He snapped at them becoming more and more agitated when they refused to let him past.

"How do you know this place is Mary's" Sharon demanded with hostility.

"I never heard about her owning a cabin out here." Maggie Yates interjected on Sharon's behalf. "Harris would've mentioned it."

"Mary told me about it." He lied even though he knew they weren't buying it.

"What did you do Randy?!" Sharon was going to punch him and since the others had turned on him he knew they wouldn't stop her if she did.

He didn't owe them an explanation. He took control and pushed them over. Enough was enough. He was determined to make Mary McDaniels and Officer Barbrady pay for betraying him. He stormed up the front door and proceeded to bang on the door with closed fists and scream. He didn't care if the dead heard him. The traitors inside would have to let him in if they didn't want their paradise overrun. He knew he was behaving like an idiot, but he was giving McDaniels no choice. She _had_ to accommodate him.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19:

The other survivors were in the party mood. She didn't care if they were drunk already she kept the refreshments flowing. It felt good to do something as normal as throwing a party for friends and family. She didn't know if it actually was Christmas but since Katherine told her it felt like Christmas she let the kids get the tree and decorations out just to give them something to do.

Even though she wanted to relax she didn't mind being the hostess. It took her mind off her tryst with Randy in camp. She didn't even want to think about it even though she had the reminder growing in her womb.

"You don't have to worry because it's mine." He whispered as he came up behind her and wrapped his strong arms around her and kissed her cheek.

"What makes you so sure?" Even she couldn't tell and there wasn't a way of knowing anymore.

"The DNA." They spoke in whispers as even though other people came in and out the kitchen to help themselves to food and drinks. "The baby's a hybrid."

She wanted it to be true. Despite the paternity she would still keep the baby, but she still – more than anything – wanted her husband to be the biological father.

"Do you want to help me?" Changing the subject she grabbed a tray of small pies to hand out to people. There were two more trays in the oven and the pot roasts and turkey were almost ready to serve.

"Do you hear something Aunt Mary?" Pete asked as he came into the kitchen to make coffee for himself and his friends.

"If you're making coffee I want one." Katherine interjected when she took the stew off the stove top. "This is ready mum."

"You may as well make an extra one Peter." She defused an argument between them before it even started.

"Whatever." Peter had six cups instead of the five he was originally going to use.

"Do you hear something Mayor?" PC Principal offered assistants with the food prep and setting the table for the dinner.

"No. All I hear is music." She shrugged and placed the treys of food on the big table as well as the coffee and breakfast tables in the living room and kitchen. "Katherine? Do you hear anything?"

Katherine shrugged as she ladled stew into a floral vintage serving bowl. "No."

"Have we done a perimeter check yet?" Barbrady asked Alex as he came in to refill his glass.

"The guys just got back. Why?" He asked with confusion.

"You want me to check again ma'am?" Blake volunteered along with Barkley and Peterson.

"It's probably nothing, but check it any way." She had to be sure. She didn't want dead people on the property when they only just got there.

XXXX

"Are they from South Park?" He reported to his new superior the Government Guy even though he knew this man previously tried to bomb South Park in order to cover up the UFO crash that brought the toxic green goo and Nazi Zombies to town.

This outbreak was different and he sensed it when it first started. It wasn't an easy fix like last time. The world was going to be like this for a good long while and he was sure the dead wouldn't die off and stay dead during his lifetime.

"They both are." He took the scotch he badly wanted from him when it was offered to him.

"Were those women with that group that left you in Denver?" He didn't even get up. He slumped in his recliner chair and drank whiskey straight from the bottle.

"Liane Cartman is but Classi wasn't." He explained how he knew Classi. She was one of the many people arrested when he had his cult with the other police. The only two officers who weren't part of it were Chief of Police Barbrady and the Mayor's son Officer McDaniels.

"Too bad you didn't get that blue-haired bitch out of office." Government Guy scoffed. He personally had nothing against Mayor Mary McDaniels it was Officer Barbrady that had to pay since it was Officer Barbrady not Mayor McDaniels who cuffed him to the rooftop and left him as walker bait.

"Yeah, yeah." He pretended to agree when all he wanted was to pursue Officer Barbrady. "I need to take some of the boys out on a run. Just something I need to take care of."

"Your petty revenge is going to have to wait." Government Guy said without caring. "If anyone has to pay it's that blue-haired skank, but I don't have time to track her down either. We can't just waste our man power on pettiness."

"Fine." He snapped defiantly. He needed revenge. Because of Officer Barbrady he almost died. "I'll go myself!"

"I need you here." Government Guy refused to let him go. "You're responsible for training the men and these ladies will need training if they decide to stay."

He left bitterly disappointed, but he realised that unless he came with them Government Guy couldn't stop him if he decided to take a detour and pursue Barbrady during the next supply run.

XXXX

"Open the fucking door Mary!" He shouted with frustration. He was sure that if he made a big enough scene they would hear him inside.

"Can we go?" Sharon and the others were huddled together since the bitter cold wind blew through their clothes. "We need somewhere to sleep and I don't want to get shot."

"Somebody's already made this theirs." Stephen added as his teeth chattered in the cold. "They won't just let us in even if we ask nicely."

"I know you're in there bitch!" He furiously jiggled the doorknob and even tried to use the force of his body weight to break the door down. As he was about to make impact with the front door someone opened it. Officer McDaniels and Blake along with Officers Barkley and Peterson moved out of his way and did nothing to stop him from falling over and face planting the hardwood floors.

"What the hell are you doing here asshole?!" Alexander McDaniels snapped with obvious loathing.

He got up and re-adjusted his clothing. He thought nothing of the fall and pushed his way inside. "Where is your mother Wonder Boy?" He asked Alexander without looking at him.

"Get the fuck out!" Alexander and the other cops were trying to prevent him from going any further inside without much success. "Leave her alone Marsh!"

XXXX

PC Principal wasn't imagining it and neither was she. There was a ruckus outside the property. She would have preferred a horde. It would've been much easier to deal with.

"What the hell is going on out here?" She'd just put out the last tray of food for the party when she decided to see for herself what the cause of the commotion was.

A sinister smirked broadened across his face when he finally saw her. "Hello Mary."

Fear overwhelmed her. She didn't know how he'd made it to the cabin. She didn't know how he knew about the cabin. The point of coming to this place was to get away from him. Back at camp he treated her like a slave. She couldn't do anything or go anywhere without his approval and he was always around before he decided to have sex with her when she didn't want him to. Her face turned pale as she backed away from him. The music stopped and the cabin was so quiet she could hear a pin drop. Not only had Randy managed to follow her to her off grid cabin he'd brought the other people she'd abandoned at his camp along with him. She couldn't take the gossip and they couldn't be trusted. All she wanted was to get away from Randy and from them. She didn't want to be constantly reminded of her mistake with Randy Marsh.

"G-get out!" She tried to sound formidable but squeaked like a petrified mouse instead. She fled to the kitchen in an attempt to get away from him. "Get out of my house!"

"Come on Mary. We just need to talk. He followed her. She didn't know what to do as he cornered her in her own kitchen.

She wanted to cry, but she didn't want to show weakness. She just wanted him gone from her property. She didn't care how. "Please just leave me alone!"

He dared to come close. She couldn't move. She felt sick and couldn't tell if it was out of fear or from morning sickness. "You betrayed me bitch."

"I don't even want you!" She squeaked and quivered in fear. She'd never felt so helpless before.

"GET AWAY FROM MY WIFE!" Her husband's face had turned bright red with rage. He was ready to throttle Randy Marsh if he didn't leave her alone.

Randy grabbed her arms and held her against the wall. "What do you see in this idiot?" He demanded with disgust.

She was shaking. Her stomach clenched in knots and she tried desperately not to throw up. "H-he's better than you."

She tried to push him away as he rammed his tongue down her throat. She writhed with disgust and managed to grab the handle of a large kitchen knife. She struck him with it and Barbrady dragged him away after Alexander aimed a right hook punch to Randy's face.

"You fucking bitch!" Randy cried in pain as he clutched his face. Blood seeped through his fingers as she'd cut his face trying to get away from him.

"GET HIM OUT OF MY FUCKING HOUSE!" She shrieked with more authority this time. She couldn't contain it. Randy tried one more attempt to get at her. Before he could come close she ejected the contents of her stomach all over him. It wasn't the first time she'd thrown up on him but it gave her enough time to get away from him and use her master bathroom upstairs.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

They left Randy Marsh in the barn with PC Principal to deal with him. He didn't care if Pc Principal beat the shit out of Randy in order to educate him on the rules of consent why what he'd just done wasn't pc at all.

"What are we going to do with him McDaniels?" Blake asked him with concern. No one thought Randy and the others they'd left behind would actually follow them up here. His mother's off grid cabin was way out in the mountains.

"He can't stay here." He knew they'd all agree considering no one even wanted him as leader back in camp.

"What do we do with him?" Jimbo – Randy's older half brother – asked with concern. "Banishment?"

"I'm sorry Jimbo." He knew Randy had family in their group but he was too dangerous for them to just send him on his way. "He can't be trusted around my mother."

"If Mary kept her legs shut we wouldn't have this problem." Sharon Marsh overheard their private discussion. He didn't even know how he was going to tell the other survivors about this.

"You can't put this on mom!" He didn't care if he was being too harsh with Sharon she had to learn to see Randy for who he really was. "You know he treated her like a slave and you know she never wanted this."

Sharon stormed off in an angry huff and to his surprise Blake volunteered to go after her.

"There has to be a way to defuse this situation." Blake suggested. "It's bad enough we have to deal with Mr. Marsh we don't need fighting amongst ourselves. That's how we die."

He was right of course. "Maybe you can get Sharon Marsh to see sense. I need to deal with dipshit."

He wanted to see the progress PC Principal had made. Even with what was sure to be a savage beating he knew Randy wouldn't learn anything. He had to do something soon because the longer they kept him around the more dangerous it became for his mother.

XXXX

"Mary?" She knew he was concerned about her. She was so sick she didn't respond to him. She continued to throw up. "Mary?"

"I'm so sorry for this mess George." She wanted to cry. She slumped against the wall by the toilet and couldn't allow the tears to stop. "This is all my fault.

He sat down beside her and wrapped his strong arms around her. "It's not your fault Mary."

"I don't know whose baby this is George." She panicked at the thought of the paternity of her child. She wanted it to be Barbrady's child but she just couldn't tell for sure if it were. "He can't know I'm pregnant."

She'd hidden pregnancies from the people of South Park before. She even managed to have twin girls and a boy without them ever knowing she was pregnant both times. She hated the thought of it, but for the child's safety and to protect Barbrady no one could know anything about it until they did something about Randy Marsh. The last thing she wanted was Randy thinking he was the father because the thought that he might be made her feel physically sick.

He gently placed his hands on her belly and kissed her cheek. Her husband was adamant the baby was his. "Randy can't have children Mary."

"What?" She was surprised by this information. She hadn't heard anything about it before.

"He's sterile." Barbrady helped her up so she could rest in bed. The room was warm and the fireplace gave enough light without using any electricity.

"How?" She still wasn't entirely convinced as she lay down to rest and her husband draped warm blankets over her.

"He micro waved his balls." Barbrady explained. "Do you remember the medicinal weed Mary?"

She remembered it. Most men in town – including Jimbo Kern, Ned Gerblanski and Gerald Broflovski – had testicular cancer and she heard they made themselves sick just to get weed when the Medicinal Fried Chicken opened in the old South Park. She couldn't comprehend the stupidity. "I swear sometimes I'm surrounded by idiots George."

He laughed a little when he came back with a hot water bottle for her and a bucket she could throw up in if she couldn't make it to the bathroom. "He gave himself cancer to get pot."

"T-the baby isn't Randy's?" She asked sceptically. She took the hot water bottle and made herself as comfortable as possible. Nausea overwhelmed her. She had terrible morning sickness during her last pregnancies and this one would be no different.

Barbrady shook his head. "He's got plastic balls. He can't have any more kids with anyone not even you. That baby is mine."

He kissed her gently. She knew he wanted to deal with Randy himself so she let him. Because of Randy's intrusion she was no longer in the party mood. The others would have to enjoy the feast without her if they could enjoy it at all.

XXXX

Even though the cabin looked warm inside she didn't dare go in. There was still hostility between her and Mary McDaniels. She didn't know what to believe anymore.

"Sharon?" He scared her. She wasn't expecting anyone outside her own small group of friends to even want to talk to her.

"Blake?" She wasn't surprised that the people Mary had taken with her when she abandoned camp weren't talking to her. She didn't want to admit that she had been irrational with her initial reaction to the news her ex husband slept with the Mayor of South Park.

"You only know Randy's version don't you?" He sat beside her and offered her a plate piled with freshly cooked food.

"I shouldn't." She pushed the plate away and tried not to cry. "It wouldn't be right."

"You still need to eat." He gave her back the plate and explained to her the truth. She felt like an idiot she didn't see it.

"What have I done?" The guilt overwhelmed her. "I should've believed my friend."

She knew she more than likely lost her friendship with Mary. Before the apocalypse and the incident back at camp they were really good friends. They even used to play poker on Fridays since the weekly book club became too boring for them.

"It may be better to give her some space for now." Blake didn't blame her but he didn't seem to think she was a bad person. "She'll come around when she's ready."

"I don't think so." She highly doubted it. She had a feeling that she'd fucked up big time.

"We had the cult and tried ousting her from office and she's cool with us now." Officers Peterson and Foley returned from a perimeter check after Officer Alexander McDaniels ordered them to check it again.

"It took a lot of ass kissing, but best to keep your distance for now." Foley added as he lit up a cigarette.

"I don't think she'll forgive me for this." She felt hopeless. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to talk to Mary, but she couldn't be sure if she would even want to see her.

XXXX

To her surprise Sergeant Yates woke them up for breakfast since the Government Guy had requested a meeting with them. Over eggs, bacon and toast – the best breakfast she'd had in a long time – they drilled them with even more questions.

Classi hardly touched her plate of food or the tea they were offered. She was fascinated by Government Guy and how neat and clean the place was.

"What is this place?" After Yates and Mackey drilled them with questions about life in the wilderness she responded in kind regarding their new accommodation.

Much to her annoyance they were vague with their information which also pissed Classi off. "Is this the refugee centre?"

Government Guy and Harrison Yates laughed. It was Yates who answered her question. "If you're looking for that other refugee centre you're looking for a pipe dream."

"Is it safe here?" It seemed safe enough even though she'd only seen the room they were sleeping in and the breakfast room they were dining in. It looked like an apartment building as far as she could tell.

"We have walls surrounding us with guards patrolling our perimeter day and night." Yates replied while sipping tea.

"We want our weapons!" Classi's outburst had them on edge along with the obvious security personnel they brought along with them.

When she regained consciousness she noticed she no longer had access to her gun or even her hunting knife. Classi had been complaining about this since they arrived.

"Unless you're security we don't carry weapons inside. We don't need an armed camp." Government Guy said calmly despite Classi's angry protests.

"You can't keep us here." Classi clamoured with outrage. "I want my sword back! That shit ain't yours asshole!"

"You can leave when Liane is well enough to travel." Government Guy snapped at Classi who returned to her seat in a huff. "Right now you and your friend wouldn't last another weak out there in the middle of winter."

"There's another snow storm coming." Mr. Mackey interjected. He'd been quiet throughout the breakfast and obviously let Government Guy and Yates do all the talking.

"As soon as it's clear and she's well enough to travel your weapons will be waiting for you outside the gates." Government Guy's reassurances did nothing to appease Classi who regarded him with intense loathing.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21:

After Randy Marsh barged in and made a scene no one was in the party mood anymore. They still had the dinner since her mother and the other women put a lot of effort into preparing it so they could have a lavish feast.

She was sitting in the girl's bunkrooms with Shelly, Bebe, Wendy, Stan, Kenny, Henrietta, Karen and her cousin Pete when they noticed Sharon Marsh standing in the doorway.

"Mom?" Stan and Shelly were shocked to see her since everyone knew they ran away from camp when Stan's dad suggested using the pets as food. She understood why Stan wouldn't want to eat his dog Sparky since she had no intention of letting Mr. Marsh eat any of her cats.

"Why?" Mrs. Marsh looked like she didn't know whether to be angry or relieved. "Why would you kids run away like that? You scared me to death! Anything could've happened."

"Dad wanted to eat Sparky." The dog whimpered and hid behind Stan as he explained to his mother why they decided to run away. "Everyone was fighting and we didn't like the camp anymore."

"What's up dad's ass?" Shelly asked. She could tell both Stan and Shelley were tired of their dad's embarrassing behaviour.

"T-there's a lot up his ass right now." Mrs. Marsh sat on the bed between Shelly and Stan. "No one is going to eat the dog. I won't let your father hurt the pets around here."

"He'll wish the dead got him if he hurts any of my cats Mrs. Marsh." She meant what she said. The cats meant everything to her and they trusted her to keep them safe. If Randy or anyone else tried to eat them they would be walker bait.

"What are they going to do with dad?" Stan asked. No one knew for sure what the adults were going to do with Stan's dad.

"Will they execute him?" She asked since she was recently busted for eavesdropping and her mother's aide Bob Johnson had suggested it among many other options.

"I don't know kids." Mrs. Marsh looked worn but tried to explain things as best she could. "There might even be a trial. I really don't know what they have in mind. I guess it's up to your mother Katherine."

She knew Mrs. Marsh was right. Eventually her adoptive mother would decide Mr. Marsh's fate.

XXXX

"Where's your mother Wonderboy?" He seethed with rage and held onto intense loathing for the first son of South Park. He believed it was Officer Alexander McDaniels who turned Mayor McDaniels against him during the PC Movement.

"Leave her alone Marsh." Alexander warned him. Even though there were no empty threats on Alexander's part he still didn't take any of what was being said to him seriously.

"I need to see Mary." He wasn't going to cooperate with anyone until he had the chance to speak to Mary himself. "Fucking bitch betrayed me!"

"She doesn't want anything to do with you asshole!" Alexander growled through gritted teeth.

He knew he'd lock horns with Alexander soon. It was only a matter of time. He didn't care. If it meant he could get rid of both Alexander McDaniels and the bumbling idiot police chief he'd gladly fight them. He smirked as he realised he would have to give Mary no choice but to consider him a leader. He wished he'd thought of it when Officer Barbrady showed up at his camp and took over everything he'd built while he lay comatose in an abandoned hospital.

"What's so funny Marsh?" Alexander asked with obvious agitation.

"There's a trial right?" He knew it was true due to the dumbfounded expression on Alexander's face. "I need to talk to Mary. It's about my defence."

XXXX

She just wanted time alone. Randy had ruined her good mood. She even tried to eat some of the food she'd cooked for the feast but she only threw it up again as morning sickness overwhelmed her.

"Who is that?"She could hear footsteps and she just hoped that Randy was locked away and restrained because in that moment she didn't want to deal with him.

"Mary?"She knew who it was and she didn't want to talk to Sharon either. Not after everything she'd said and done when she tried to tell her she wanted nothing to do with her ex husband.

"Get out!"She didn't care if she was being hostile. She just wanted to be left alone. The only people she would see if they asked for her were her blood relatives and her children.

"I just wanted to apologise."She could sense Sharon feeling guilty but she was too hurt to care.

"I don't want to talk about this now just leave me alone!"She snapped bitterly. She didn't even look at Sharon when she crawled back into bed.

"I'm sorry."Sharon meekly apologised and she knew she was sincere. She just didn't want to deal with it or even think about it.

"I tried to tell you I didn't want to do that."Sharon's disdain for her back in camp hurt her feelings. She wanted Randy to stop, but she was too overwhelmed with grief and she couldn't make him stop. "You know I don't even like him anymore. Your ex husband is the last person I would ever want to be with. He used me!"Tears streamed down her face as she allowed herself to cry. She didn't care if Sharon saw.

"I thought I was getting back with him for the kids. If I'd known I wouldn't have tried to get back together with Randy. I'm sorry Mary. I should've believed you. He lied to me."Randy had used them both. She still didn't know if she could ever be friends with Sharon again.

She pulled the blankets over her head and coiled in a tight ball clutching her stomach as it churned and twisted into knots. "Please just leave me alone. I don't want to deal with this shit right now."

She heard receding footsteps and the door closing behind Sharon as she left. She sobbed uncontrollably as the guilt of what she'd done gnawed at her.

XXXX

There was nothing she liked about the town. There was nothing she liked about Government Guy. While she could see it for what it really was Liane Cartman remained oblivious to the façade.

"That's nasty!"She shuddered with disgust as she saw Liane flirting shamelessly with Government Guy during a small party they were hosting for their group of survivors. The town's people were weak and many of them hadn't faced life in the wilderness.

"Are you staying for the party?"Yates and Mackey were carrying trays of drinks and appetizers meant for party guests.

"I'd rather puke."She feigned feeling sick in order to get away from them. She noticed Mr. Mackey was a lot meeker than he had been even in the presence of PC Principal.

Something wasn't right about this town or Government Guy and she had to get to the bottom of it. She didn't know what it was but something told her that it was better if they didn't stay here despite it looking safe on the inside.

Looking around to see if the coast was clear she decided to slip away from the party and see for herself what this town really was. South Park before the apocalypse might have had its problems but it didn't give her a sinking feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach.

"I know something ain't right."It was like a mirage in a desert and she had to prove it to Liane in order to make her see sense. Looking around she noticed all their military vehicles were riddled with bullet holes and she even found blood stains. To get more evidence she would have to dig deeper. She was mainly suspicious because they didn't have access to their own weapons and survival gear despite hiding behind a large well constructed wall and they were denied the right to leave the town whenever she asked. She sneaked into one of the other apartments. She would prove it to Liane one way or another. There was nothing safe about Westwood.

XXXX

"Please leave me alone." She turned away from the person shaking her. She didn't want to deal with anyone. She was so sick she didn't even want to get out of bed.

"I'm sorry mom." It was only Alexander. She could tell he didn't want to wake her up.

"What is it now?!" She sat up in bed knowing it was something important.

"Marsh." Alexander said with disgust. "He wants to see you and no he won't drop the subject. I told him countless times to leave you alone and he won't listen to me."

Her face turned pale and nausea overwhelmed her. She couldn't even stand the fact that Randy Marsh was on her property.

"What does he even want?" She reluctantly dragged herself out of bed. She needed to throw up and clean her teeth first. She didn't care if she was making Randy wait.

"He said something about a trial and his defence." Alexander explained. "I didn't even think there was going to be a trial. I thought we were just going to get rid of him."

"I'd rather just drop him off a cliff and let the dead have him." She grumbled without disguising her hatred for him. Randy Marsh had almost cost her the relationships with her family during the PC movement. She'd never forgive him after he nearly beat Alexander to death and for forcing her to fire Barbrady even though she had to hand him over to the newsmen for his own protection. It took a lot of effort for her to get through her depression and for the kids to even want to talk to her again.

"You and me both mom." Alexander had his own reasons for his hatred towards her former friend. Not only had he and his pc thugs almost beaten him to death, Randy had spearheaded the Fuck the Police movement and thrown pigs blood on her young granddaughters. There was a lot of hostility between them as a result.

It was cold when she stepped outside. Barbrady said Randy was restrained in the barn under guard. PC Principal and Blake were on guard duty with Blake waiting for Mitch to take over his shift.

"What do you want Marsh?" She glowered at him and kept her distance from him. He might be restrained but she didn't want to get too close.

He smirked and spoke coldly. "We need to talk."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22:

"What's got into your dad?" She asked Stan as they tried to focus on their game of _Dungeons and Dragons_. She noticed the adults looked worried and something was going down. It was all because of Mr. Marsh's sudden intrusion at the cabin and the fighting between him and her mother and father.

"I don't know dude." Stan couldn't even focus on the game as the other adults were dealing with Stan's mom and the others they'd left behind at camp. "He's had a weird obsession with power and your mom for a long time."

She wanted more information since she knew they were holding back. "Do we need to bring the Freedom Pals back to deal with this?"

 _That might be a good idea._ Timmy agreed. It was the first time in a while he'd communicated with anyone telepathically. _We can at least use the Freedom Pals to help protect this place._

"I don't want to go back to another suck ass camp now." Kyle Broflovski took his turn as they tried to ignore the adults.

Sparky the dog whined and placed his head in Stan's lap. "My dad can't be a leader. I don't even know what they're going to do with him."

"I can't stay inside." She was agitated and needed something to punch. "Let's see if Dr. Timothy can control some of the dead fucks."

"At least I can stab something." Stan wanted to go as well. They all needed to release their frustrations especially Stan and Shelly Marsh.

She knew her parents would just say no because they were children and it was snowing outside. They sneaked out while the adults were preoccupied with the decision on what to do with Stan's dad.

XXXX

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" She clamoured with disgust. "You don't have the right to decide! This isn't a democracy!"

"Still need a trial." Randy Marsh smirked smugly as he knew he'd got the better of her and she wished he hadn't. "Don't we need to hold onto humanity Mary?"

"Son of a bitch!" She punched the wall in frustration and didn't care that her knuckles were scratched and bleeding as a result. "You can't do this!"

"I demand a trial by combat. Since there is no law anymore this would be the better way to do it." He smirked confidently. He was content to actually fight for his life and win.

Her hands were tied. The other survivors agreed. She would have to discuss this with Sharon Marsh even though she didn't want to talk to her either. "It'd be better if the group was allowed to vote."

"No votes." Randy insisted with confidence. "I want a trial by combat Mary."

"Fine." She threw her hands up in frustration. "I'll get some dead fucks and throw you in the pit with them. Hand to hand combat. How do you like that Marsh?"

"That's not what I meant Mary." Randy proceeded to sulk like a child. Even his ten year old son had more maturity.

"Who the hell wants to volunteer for that duty?" She knew people in her group wouldn't want to volunteer for a trial by combat even if there was a chance Randy could lose. Randy Marsh insisted on a fight to the death. With the impression he would emerge from the fight victorious.

"Since you can't pick your champion I choose the big fat idiot Barbrady!" A sinister grin broadened across his face.

Her face went pale. She knew George was helping with the kids since it was way past their bed time. She didn't want to risk it. "Pick someone else."

His shit eating grin became wider. "Wonderboy. I'll take him on."

She stopped in her tracks. She wouldn't risk her eldest son either. "NO!"

"I want leadership back if I win." He ignored her. He would only fight Barbrady or Alexander. He wasn't interested in anyone else.

"What makes you think you'll win?" She didn't even want to think about the possibility of her champion losing the fight against him.

"What are you doing Randy?!" Sharon Marsh barged her way into the barn her face bright red with rage. She'd heard the news and she didn't know how word got out to Sharon. "A trial by combat?!"

"Me vs. Police Chief Barbrady." He wouldn't drop the idea and she wished the dead got him when she knocked him out at camp the night they left for the cabin.

"I'm not sacrificing my family for this Marsh." She fumed with rage and disgust. "If you get a trial by combat I get to choose my own champion."

"You're not picking anyone so I chose for you." Randy wouldn't listen to reason. He obviously wanted control back. He didn't just want control back. He wanted _her_ back.

"I'm not your puppet anymore Randy!" She let loose because she wanted Sharon to know how she really felt about her ex husband. "This is my house, this is my land and _I'm_ in charge here! I'm not your wife and I'm not your bitch and I'm sure as hell not your problem! You don't get to use me anymore! You'll get a trial by combat and I won't be telling you who my champion is until the trial date!"

She stormed out leaving Sharon to deal with her ex husband. She could hear the distant fighting between them and didn't care. She needed an emergency meeting for all the survivors. Not only did she need a champion she needed to deal with the others she'd left behind in camp. She wasn't even sure if she should let them stay since all they did was spread malicious gossip about her.

XXXX

They couldn't see through the snow. There was nothing but a white background and the blurred silhouettes of trees in the distance. She was beginning to think coming out here was a bad idea. Even though Timmy's wheelchair was fitted with chains he had trouble getting it through the thick snow. Every now and again he'd teleport just to make any progress.

She could see a man in the distance and judging by the way he walked she knew it was a zombie. He staggered along and every now and again the zombie would fall over. Eventually it had given up on walking and was crawling through the snow.

"Should we try it Doctor?" Kenny asked as they remained at a safe distance. The crawling zombie hadn't sniffed them out yet.

She noticed three more in the distance. Two women and another man each at varying rates of decay. For some reason they didn't come any closer despite wanting to. She knew they could smell them since they became restless once the wind peaked.

"This is weird." She wasn't the only one who noticed. Even Stan could see it. "It's like they want to eat us but won't for some reason."

Shelly approached one of the zombified women who immediately lunged at her. Shelly had the upper hand and struck her over the head with a baseball bat killing the zombie instantly.

The remaining zombies tried to follow Shelly back to their group but only stopped at a certain distance.

"Why don't they want to eat us as a group?" She regarded them with confusion because it didn't make sense. This wasn't normal undead behaviour. Despite the thick layer of snow she knew they wouldn't pass up a meal if it were right in front of them.

"Is this a superpower?" Wendy asked and she quickly realised she might be right. "If it is who's doing it?"

She didn't know where it was coming from, but for some reason the dead wouldn't lunge at anyone unless they were right up close.

"New experiment." Scott Malkinson announced. "Find out who has the powers to keep the dead freaks away."

They took it in turns one by one. The four zombies were quickly dispatched with Dovahkiin Hughes taking out the last one. "We need to find more because someone here can keep them away."

"We should probably find out who it is before we tell the Mayor and our parents about it." Stan agreed.

She shrugged. It was at least giving them something to do they could actually focus on unlike the board games they tried to play at the cabin. "Okay. Let's go find some more dead fucks."

XXXX

Everyone had arrived. Even the traitors she'd left behind with Randy at the old camp. She considered this a town meeting and the matter needed to be settled quickly.

"Where are the kids?" Sharon asked before she could even open her mouth to speak.

She looked around and noticed Katherine was missing. "Peter?" She wondered if her Goth nephew knew where she was. "Where's your cousin?"

He shrugged and continued drinking his coffee. "I don't know. I haven't seen that poser since Marsh barged in."

Sharon started panicking. "Stanley? Shelly? Oh god!"

"They can't have gone far." Jimbo Kern took Ned, Skeeter and some of the cops to look for them.

"Find them for the love of god!" She hoped they hadn't wandered off the property. She was sure she'd told the children they were not allowed to leave the property without supervision for their own safety.

"This is going to have to wait." Sheila Broflovski noticed Kyle was missing and Ike couldn't tell her where his older brother was when he was asked.

"I don't know." He shrugged and focused on the book he was reading.

"You stay here and watch the kids Mary." He wouldn't let her protest and reminded her without anyone hearing that she was pregnant and should stay at the cabin with the children for her safety.

"Why can't they just do as they're told?" She knew she'd be panicking until she knew for certain Katherine and the other missing children returned safe. So far Katherine, Kenny McCormick, Stan and Shelly Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Scott Malkinson, Butters Stotch, Timmy Burch and Jimmy Valmer were reported missing and they weren't on the property.

XXXX

"Can I have some water?" He could hear movement outside the barn. He knew he was under guard and he knew Mary didn't want him anywhere near the cabin. He struggled with his handcuffs. He was restrained in such a way he couldn't simply slip out of them. It didn't stop him from trying. He didn't care that he'd shredded the skin on his wrists trying to break his restraints. He could smell blood but it didn't matter. Even though he was a prisoner he knew this place was safe. He had demands and he knew he'd win the fight during his trial regardless of who Mary picked as her champion.

He would be the leader. She would have to submit to him and he looked forward to being able to sleep inside.

"Shut up in there Marsh!" Officer Foley was on guard duty. He wondered if he could weasel his way out of jail as he had done countless times before. Unfortunately this time he couldn't use the Mexican Joker as a scapegoat.

"You can't deny me water." He reminded them of his upcoming trial. "I'm not dead yet."

"Put a sock in it Marsh!" Mitch appeared above him standing on the hay loft. He tipped a jug of cold water on his head and dropped the jug.

"Ow!" He clamoured with outrage. "This is inhumane!"

"Have fun losing at your trial Marsh." Mitch left him to seethe in silent rage. They weren't listening to him and once he won his fight he'd make them wish they'd never treated him as less than human.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23:

They trudged through the snow with Timmy occasionally teleporting just so he could get anywhere. She was surprised there weren't many zombies roaming around in the vast countryside that surrounded the cabin.

"I still want to know why they didn't want to come near us when we were all in a group." It was the second time Stan had face planted the ground. Kenny and Butters helped him up.

"It's got to be a super power." Wendy was certain of it and she was convinced someone in their group had the ability to keep them away. They just didn't know who it was.

So far they'd been able to rule out Shelly, Stan and Dovahkiin Hughes. As far as she knew it could be any of them. They needed more zombies to experiment with. "Maybe they don't come out here because of the cold. There's not many around."

Despite wearing three layers under a puffy jacket she couldn't keep warm. She was originally from Sydney and while winter did get cold it was never cold enough to snow. She didn't think she'd ever get used to a Colorado winter.

"We should probably get back to that cabin before our parents start freaking out any way." Kyle suggested as he too was shivering. The wind was starting to pick up, snow fell and they couldn't see very far ahead anyway. It was too dangerous for Timmy to keep teleporting further away from the safety of the cabin.

"Kyle's right. I don't even want to be out here anymore." Her teeth were chattering and she started back to the cabin. "My mum will freak if she knows I'm not at home."

Since the outbreak and after they left the camp the cabin had become her new home. Even before zombies roamed the earth she thought of it as a second home considering she came to this place so often with her family. Usually when her mother needed a break from town and dealing with idiots.

"If the mayor freaks out we're so busted." Stan added as her friends followed her back to the cabin with Timmy only teleporting in order to keep up with them.

"No shit!" She pulled her scarf up to cover her nose. She hoped they could make it back because she didn't want to spend another minute outside in the bitter cold and instantly regretted her decision to chase zombies and use them as lab rats.

XXXX

She wanted to find his apartment. Government Guy was hiding something and she knew it. She felt sick to her stomach watching the former school councillor Mr. Mackey trailing after him and Sergeant Harrison Yates like a lost puppy.

"Grow some balls homie." She mumbled under her breath and she started exploring apartments looking for answers.

From what she could tell everything looked as it should. People obviously liked this place because it reminded them of what it was like before. She really wasn't in the party mood and wondered why people – namely Liane – couldn't see this place for what it really was. A façade.

She searched through a small living room fitted with mix-matched furniture and shelving. In all the apartments they had shelves stocked with books, blankets and even toiletries. She stole a toiletry bag from one of the shelves she passed since she had no intention of staying. As soon as she found what she was actually looking for she was leaving. She couldn't be so certain about Liane because the minute she peaked outside a top story window she could see Liane Cartman flirting with Government Guy and sharing drinks with Mackey and Yates.

"It's been a while and even I ain't that desperate." She muttered as she rifled through stacks of books and magazines. She even searched through any papers and notebooks she could find. So far she'd found nothing.

XXXX

"I would really like to stay here." She hoped he'd approve. As far as she knew she was leaving with Classi the next day after their doctors gave her a clean bill of health. "I haven't had anything this nice since this all started."

She wanted to start over and live a real life again. Out in the woods with Randy's group and then Classi she merely existed. She wanted to contribute and she just wanted somewhere that was warm and safe. This town ticked all the boxes for her but she wasn't so sure about Classi who'd remained hostile since Harrison brought them here.

"I see this place is growing on you." Government Guy handed her a cold drink. Something she hadn't enjoyed in a long time.

"I really like the room and the bed." She wanted comfort more than anything. She didn't want to spend her time wondering if each day was going to be her last. She came close to death the day Classi saved her from a horde. She wasn't interested in supply runs. There were obviously a lot of other things she could do to contribute.

"You'll have to contribute." Government Guy explained how things worked in his town. "My guys keep the town safe and work the walls. Kids go to school and adults have jobs. We do provide entertainment and you'll see that later tonight."

"What's on tonight?" She seemed confused because it looked like they were already celebrating something.

"You'll see." Yates left with Mackey who was complaining about the impractical use of the generators.

"Can I work the wall?" She wanted to make sure she didn't lose her ability to defend herself. Even though she could cook and clean with the rest of them she wasn't interested in being a housewife. "I'm a good shot I'd like to stay that way."

"Sure, why not." Government Guy didn't seem to mind adding a trainee soldier to patrol the wall and their perimeter. "You'll start training, but for now just enjoy the party."

She sighed with relief because allowing her to work the wall meant that she could stay.

XXXX

"Where have you been?!" He was rarely angry and it was the first time she'd heard him yell. They all knew they were in trouble. "You're mother is worried sick!"

She didn't know what to tell him. She knew he would freak out if he knew the real reason they wondered off the property.

"Is that blood?" Sheila noticed stains on Kyle's clothes and instantly started checking him for bite.

"Argh! Mom!" Kyle freaked out when she started fussing over him. "I'm fine. I didn't get bit."

"Dad don't worry." Dovahkiin also had blood on him as did Stan and Shelly Marsh. She knew she would have to tell them the truth.

"We wanted to see if Timmy's mind bending powers would work on the dead fucks." She tried telling her adoptive father they just went for a walk and he didn't buy it. Her older brother didn't buy the lie either.

"You can't be out here without supervision. It's dangerous." Officer Barbrady was more concerned about their safety, but she knew they were still in trouble. "Did they get bit?"

"He's fine." Relieved Sheila smothered Kyle in a bear hug.

"I can't breathe!" Kyle's shouts were muffled and he squirmed and fidgeted as his mother kissed him. "Mom!"

"Don't ever scare me again Kyle." Kyle was grounded for wandering off the property when he wasn't allowed to.

"So are you Butters." PC Principal and Principal Victoria were raising Butters since his real parents weren't fit just like hers weren't fit to be parents either.

"You mom wants to talk to you Katherine." He wouldn't let her walk the rest of the way and parents carried their children back to the cabin. She dreaded telling her mother why she was wandering around in the woods.

XXXX

"Don't ever do that again!" She knew her mother was freaking out. The adults had settled to vote on what was going to happen to Mr. Marsh when they noticed them missing. Parents had panicked and she sent a search party out for them.

She didn't dare tell her Timmy was teleporting to get through the thick snow. She didn't want to get him in trouble. She decided to tell her what they'd discovered.

"Someone can keep the dead fucks away." She explained despite her mother's initial confusion. "I don't know who it is though. We were trying to see if Timmy could control them with his mind bending powers. We didn't get a chance to test it on the zombie Kenny's we caught at camp."

"What do you mean someone could keep them away?" Based on her mother's questioning she knew she wasn't making any sense. She looked stressed and confused and if she didn't sit down she would probably fall down.

She sat by the fireplace in her mother's master bedroom. She was still cold after wandering around outside. "There was three zombies. When we were in a group they wouldn't come near us. They lunged at Dovahkiin, Kyle, Stan and Shelly when they weren't with the group so someone – I don't know who it is because we couldn't find any more dead fucks can keep them away. It's like someone has another superpower."

Mayor McDaniels remained confused but sat beside her with the heat from the fireplace warming their backs. "How does that even work?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, but it was like walker repellent. They wouldn't come near us even though they could smell fresh food."

She wanted to find out who had this ability because the other kids had noticed it too. She didn't think her mother would allow her to research and find out.

"Don't go past the perimeter without supervision. I can't lose any more children and I don't want you to get hurt. You don't want to get stuck in the woods in this weather." She warned her not to do that again. "Promise me you won't go past the perimeter without supervision."

She took the hot chocolate her father had made and gave the other cup to her mother. "I promise." It was a promise she would keep because she wasn't outside in the cold for very long, but she knew the mayor was right. She didn't want to get stuck outside in this winter. "Am I grounded?"

"You bet you are." Her mother confirmed it to her dismay. "It'd be better for you to stay at the cabin. I need help around here."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24:

"Are you okay Sharon?" He asked when he noticed her outside after yet another fight with Mary McDaniels. She didn't blame her for not accepting her apologies after everything she'd said to her and believing Randy's now obvious lies.

She slumped and didn't stop Blake from sitting next to her. She remembered him from camp. He hadn't cut his blonde hair and she had yet to see him without a beard. He was originally from Denver so she'd never seen him before the outbreak started. "No. I've been an idiot and now I've lost a friend."

"She'll come around. She might just need some space." Everyone had been telling her to keep her distance, but that didn't stop her from trying to get her friendship with Mary McDaniels back.

"I feel like an idiot I believed Randy." She didn't know what to think about the trial by combat business either. Randy told her it was McDaniels who ordered it, but Mary said Randy demanded it originally wanting to fight George Barbrady. "I don't believe him now when he tells me Mary ordered this trial by combat."

"Why couldn't it be a normal trial?" Blake asked as she was thinking the same thing. "Why does he have to make it difficult for everyone? That can't be good for your kids."

She wanted to cry because Blake was right. Her children deserved better but she didn't know how to explain this trial by combat process to them because at the end of the day he was still their father. "I don't know what to do anymore!"

She felt Blake's arm around her as she'd started sobbing uncontrollably. "I don't want the kids to see that. That isn't the Randy I fell in love with. I want my friend back. She won't have me in the house. Where am I supposed to sleep?"

"Come on." Blake extended his hand and helped her up. "I've got an extra bed in my RV you can use."

She barely knew him, but she didn't want to sleep outside and she didn't want to go anywhere near Randy if she didn't have to. She just wanted somewhere warm to sleep.

"There's a shower if you need it." Blake gave her a quick tour of his RV which was basically a house on wheels kitted with everything a person could need including a bed, a dining area that could be folded in to make a spare bed – the one Blake had offered for her to use – a small bathroom with shower and a toilet, a kitchenette with a small oven and a two-burner stove top for cooking.

"I will take a shower." She needed one. The last time she bathed was in the lake they based their camp at. The hot water was a relief and Blake didn't seem to mind if she took her time. He'd even gone inside the cabin to find her some clean clothes. She even sat down and let the hot water fall on her. She was glad to feel clean again after living rough since the outbreak started.

XXXX

She needed to talk to her husband as soon as she'd put her younger children to bed for the night. She was breast feeding Cameron when Barbrady returned from a perimeter check. The others had taken care of cleaning up the party and left over food had been put away to be used later for other meals.

"What did Marsh want?" He asked when he brought back her hot water bottle after it had gone cold. She sat up in bed with multiple blankets draped over her and a pillow under her arm to protect the baby's head.

"That's what I need to talk to you about." She wasn't going to risk him and she wasn't going to risk Alexander either. She didn't care if Randy threw a tantrum. He got his trial by combat and she would decide who fought him on her behalf.

"What is it?" He knew she looked worried and sat beside her on the bed.

She sighed heavily as she proceeded to burp the baby she just finished feeding. "He demanded a trial by combat. Like in _Game of Thrones_." It was the best way to explain it since before the outbreak George was a big fan of the show and had started reading novels for leisure when he discovered the books the series was based on.

"Who's fighting who?" He knew what she was talking about since he always enjoyed the trail by combat scenes in the books and the TV show.

"Randy's fighting who ever I pick to be my champion. He wanted to fight you or Alexander, but I won't have that." She only got up to put Cameron – who had fallen asleep – in his crib.

"Why not?" To her surprise Barbrady wanted to fight Randy. "I'll take him. I beat his sorry ass in camp."

"It's a fight to the death George and I'm not going to risk it." She hadn't told him everything yet since Randy had made other unreasonable demands despite the fact that he was a prisoner.

"What else does he want?" She could tell he knew she wasn't telling him everything. She sneaked away from the babies' nursery when she was certain all their little kids were asleep.

"He wants leadership back." The thought of it made her cringe. She felt physically sick. "He wants _me_ back."

"Can't we just throw him in a pit with the dead fucks and watch him fight them?" She preferred this idea, but Randy had kicked up a fuss.

"No." She flopped on the bed and buried herself in the blankets. "I don't know who to pick for a champion. I could fight him myself but I'm pregnant and I can't do that to the kids."

"We could call a town meeting and decide. That's what the last one was going to be about wasn't it?" He'd already checked the kid's rooms and the older children were still at the cabin. Katherine had promised she wouldn't wander off again.

"We'll have to vote on it. It's too big a decision for me to make on my own." She was trying to take a break from leadership. All she wanted to do was rest. She only just made it to the bathroom when she ejected the contents of her stomach.

XXXX

"What's this?" He stopped trying to escape when he heard Laura Tucker and Maggie Yates talking just outside the barn. He could see them clearly through one of the cracks running down the wooden panels.

"Are you sure you heard right Maggie." He knew as well as anyone that Laura Tucker loved hearing juicy gossip.

"I went upstairs to use the bathroom. I heard them talking and it's true." Maggie assured her the information she had was correct. "Mary told Officer Barbrady she is pregnant."

"Mary's pregnant?" Laura looked as though she wasn't surprised. "I wonder who the father could be."

"It's possible Randy Marsh is the father, but it could also be Officer Barbrady's." He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Mary was pregnant. If people were talking about it, it had to be true.

He sat back and smirked. That baby had to be his child. He'd been with Mary McDaniels before the fat oaf arrived at his camp and took leadership away from him. With this information in mind he was determined to win his trial by combat. Mary's champion was going to lose. He still didn't know who that was yet and people barely spoke to him when they had to interact with him.

"Officer?" He needed food. He hadn't eaten since he was imprisoned in the barn. They couldn't starve him.

"What?" Officer Foley was on guard duty that afternoon. He noticed the cops took turns with two by the door at all times. "What do you want Marsh?"

"Kinda inhumane to starve me isn't it?" If he could get his strength back he would have a chance against the other fighter.

"Anything else your majesty?" He knew Officer Foley was being sarcastic but he didn't care.

"I want to talk to Mary." He insisted it was urgent. He wondered if she was aware of the gossip about her. He still couldn't believe it. He remained convinced he was the father of Mary's unborn child.

XXXX

She barely knew Blake. She didn't mean to unload but she needed to vent. She'd been holding in her pent up frustration for so long. More than anything she was sick of Randy. "I can't stand it anymore. I thought he wanted to be a family again for the kids. I was an idiot I believed him. Then when he bought that farm all that mattered was money and publicity. It's like I didn't know him anymore."

Blake merely listened and offered her a warm mug of hot chocolate that even came with marshmallows.

"I found them during the last supply run." He wrapped a warm blanket around her shoulders as she continued to just talk. She didn't even mind if he didn't say much.

"When I noticed the kids were missing it was like he didn't care. I know Stanley and Shelly ran away because we've been fighting and he wanted to eat the pets. He's not husband material and he's not leader material. I don't know what to tell the kids about his trial." She hadn't spoken to them about it yet. Her children stayed in the house. The rooms the kids stayed in were the safest place for them she was relieved to know they were safe and she hadn't lost her children to the zombie plague because of Randy's actions in camp.

"Honestly I think he's dangerous." Blake had prepared some of the chicken noodle soup left over from the batch Mayor McDaniels had made before the feast. "I don't know anyone here real well I'm not from South Park, but he seems unstable to me."

He was right of course. She'd noticed it too. Her ex husband had become increasingly unstable since the member berries were discovered in town and it got worse when they bought Tegridy Farms. She couldn't will the tears to stop. She wished she didn't get back together with her ex husband in the first place. Even her children were much happier when they were divorced especially Stanley.

"I'm sorry to say this." He looked as though he didn't want to say it but proceeded to anyway. "He's been using you. Probably for a place to live more than anything. He's using Mary McDaniels for power and control. We do have to deal with him. There's a town meeting later this evening."

"God I'm an idiot!" She cursed herself for being stupid. She wished she didn't let the anger get the better of her when it came to Mary. "I lost one of my best friends because I was stupid. I wish I didn't listen to Randy."

"You deserve better Sharon." Even Blake knew it. She wished she'd realised it earlier.

She sighed heavily and sobbed on his shoulders. "I can't do this with Randy anymore. I just can't."

She certainly wasn't expecting it. The kiss on his part came out of the blue. She didn't mind. She didn't think there could be anyone else. She just thought that once it was over between her and Randy she would raise her kids with her brother in law's help. Giving in she kissed him back. She didn't realise it's what she needed. She needed someone to show her she could have better, that she deserved better and in her mind Blake was better. Even in bed Randy's performance couldn't compare. She decided to keep it to herself for the time being. She would tell the kids until she knew they were ready to hear she was with someone else. For the first time in a long time she felt like there was hope for a new life without Randy always getting in the way.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25:

While she was able to get her sword and Liane's gun back after she found Government Guy's apartment she wasn't able to find anything else on him or even the town. She'd been on the road with Liane for a while and she knew when they did come across people they were usually talking about a place where people could live that was safe from the undead hordes.

Even though she hadn't come across many people since the plague hit the people she did meet didn't mention anything about Westwood. The town was well established and she noticed this about each apartment she visited while looking for her weapons and signs of anything wrong with the place. The apartments were kept clean and tidy. A lot of the furniture must've already been there before the town was established or found during supply runs. Bedding and linen was miss-matched in every apartment she came across. The kitchens were small but functional enough a family could prepare a decent meal. Based on the chatter around town each townhouse housed at least four people even if they didn't know each other before the outbreak.

Despite the sudden intrusion from Government Guy, Harrison Yates and Mr. Mackey forcing her to hide while they discussed entertainment, the generators and Mackey and Towelie's experiments she was determined to find out exactly what was wrong with the town. She didn't know what it was but something about Westwood and Government Guy gave her the creeps.

"You can begin your experiments again in the morning Mackey." Government Guy said as he took boxes of drinks from his personal refrigerator.

"Don't be a party pooper." Yates hit him across the back of the head with his good arm. "You got the good shit made for tonight didn't you?"

"Towelie finished the last batch this morning." Mackey meekly dropped the subject. She quickly realised that she might have to talk to Mackey. She knew he didn't like being around them. She hoped she could get him on her side.

"Nnnniiiiicccceeee!" Yates exclaimed as they left. Once the coast was clear she was able to rejoin the party without anyone noticing she'd been missing the whole time.

XXXX

She anxiously paced back and forth while the other survivors including Sharon and the others she left behind in camp gathered in the living room. She didn't want the kids listening in but since they were going to hear about it anyway she let them hang around for the meeting.

"There's no easy way to say this." She began nervously. She fidgeted with her fingers and tried to suppress nausea as her stomach churned. "This has to be a group decision or a volunteer basis only because I can't decide this on my own."

"Is this about my little brother?" Jimbo asked as she expected he would. She would have to tell Randy's family.

"Is there going to be a trial?" Little Stan Marsh asked. "This is about dad being a dick right?"

"That is what this is about and there is going to be a trial." She would just have to say it since it was Randy's idea in the first place. "I'm sorry kid, but your father demanded a trial by combat."

"You mean like _Game of Thrones_?" It was Kyle Broflovski who asked as people around them obviously didn't know what to think.

"A normal trial like before would be better for everyone especially the little kids." Her father was right. Even though she would rather throw Randy Marsh to the walkers a normal trial would be better. At least it would be a group decision and not just hers alone. "I'm not the only lawyer here."

"Trial by combat?" Sharon seemed confused by the notion her ex husband had demanded. "Who authorised this?"

"It wasn't my idea Sharon. Your ex husband demanded it. He wanted to fight my husband, but I won't have that." She snapped bitterly and in doing so put Sharon in her place. She was still hurt after Sharon accused her of cheating with Randy when she must've known she didn't want to be with her ex husband much less associate with him in the first place "Because of Randy's stupid request I have to choose a champion."

The others were murmuring amongst themselves. It was Barbrady who helped her to a recliner chair as she felt faint. She just wished she could rest without having to deal with power hungry morons.

"Who's going to be the champion?" PC Principal asked as he was trying to settle PC babies.

"I can't choose." She didn't want to choose. She wished she didn't have to. Ever since he barged into her cabin he'd been very unreasonable. She couldn't be certain her side would win. "I can't guarantee victory."

"Is this a fight to the death?" Sheila Broflovski asked as everyone looked around wondering who she was going to choose.

"It is?" She noticed Randy's family were horrified even though she was sure Jimbo Kern, Ned Gerblanski and even Stanley Marsh were familiar with _Game of Thrones_ and the trial by combat concept.

"Randy you idiot!" Jimbo cursed his little half brother. "Why would he _want_ a trial by combat?"

"He wanted to fight my husband. I'm not allowing it. I can't choose a champion so it has to be on a volunteer basis." She felt like it would be a waste of life if her side were to lose. The walker pit was a better idea.

"You're not going to let Officer McDaniels fight him are you?" Stan obviously already knew the answer to his question.

"No kid and Alexander was Randy's second choice." She couldn't get rid of the lump in her throat. She desperately needed to vomit.

"I can't die." Kenny McCormick reminded them. "I can do it."

"I can drag him to hell. It won't take much effort." Katherine reminded them she was the Grim Reaper and since the outbreak began she'd been dealing with a lot of lost souls.

"No Katherine!" She wouldn't allow the children to volunteer. She didn't care if they had superpowers. "New rule. You have to be over eighteen if you really want to volunteer."

The little superheroes groaned simultaneously even though she knew they'd dealt with worse threats in the past she still wouldn't let them fight an adult in a trial by combat. "I don't even want you kids to watch this trial."

"I don't either." It was something she and Sharon could agree on and talk civilly about.

"When is this trial mom?" Katherine asked as she opened a bag of Cheesy Poofs. She sat on the floor with her fluffy white kitten in her lap and her other three cats sleeping near her.

"You're not allowed to watch this Katherine. You and your little friends will just have to wait here while we deal with this." She wouldn't let her. She panicked when the children had left the cabin. Katherine had promised she wouldn't wander off from the property or put herself in danger again.

"I'm the Grim Reaper mom." She reminded her. "I need to reap the soul when the fight is over. It is a fight to the death isn't it?"

She knew she'd have to let Katherine attend the fight. The Reaper duties were split between Katherine, Kenny McCormick and Dovahkiin Hughes since all three children were Netherborn. "It's your turn to reap this week isn't it?"

"I'm gonna reap souls at some point you may as well get this over with quickly." Katherine also reminded Randy's family that she wouldn't have to reap at all if Randy hadn't insisted on this type of trial. "If he loses it's his own fault."

"Mayor?" She noticed her aide Johnson in the doorway. He was supposed to be on guard duty down at the barn with Detective Murphy.

"Who's guarding the prisoner?!" She snapped with obvious annoyance. The last thing she wanted was for Randy to attempt escape while he was waiting for his trial.

"Murphy." Johnson was out of breath and could hardly talk.

"What is it Bob?" Barbrady asked after he double checked the main house was secure.

"It's Marsh." Johnson collapsed on the sofa between Blake and PC Principal. "I'm sorry Mayor, but he wants to talk to you."

"Oh for the love of God!" She shouted with frustration. "What the fuck does he want now?!"

XXXX

"What do you want now Marsh?" It was cold outside. Snow had started falling and she knew she would need to find snow mobiles to make runs. She had one at the cabin, but she would need more. Being out in the cold reminded her they would need another supply run soon. Before she could think seriously about it she had to deal with Randy Marsh. She just wanted to get it over and done with.

He smirked as if he thought he got the better of her. "You can't kill me."

"You're the stupid idiot that demanded a trial by combat." She reminded him coldly. "If you lose it's your own fault!"

"Wouldn't you want the baby to know its father?" Even though he was restrained in a way to make escape for him impossible and he wasn't a threat she felt sick to her stomach. The weight of instant dread crushed her.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" She honestly had no clue. All she knew was that he was tormenting her. She hated looking at him since it reminded her of her mistake.

"Congrats on the bundle Mary." His malevolent smirk became wider. He shifted every now and again to find a more comfortable position. "What are you going to call it?"

"Bundle?" She quickly realised he was talking about her pregnancy. She kept this information from the other survivors. Only her blood relatives knew she was expecting. Her husband was adamant the baby was his child not Randy's

"You're having a baby right?" Randy tried and failed to break his restraints. He responded with sulking when Officer Foley hit him across the head with a baton. When he overcame the pain from the blow his smirk returned. "My baby!"

Her face paled. She was trying not to think about it. She wanted her husband to be the father. "T-this baby isn't yours."

"So you are pregnant?" He taunted her with her mistake. She didn't want to be reminded about what happened back in camp.

She couldn't keep it in. She didn't even make it out of the barn before she threw up on one of the hay bales. She couldn't stop the tears as hot rage overwhelmed her. Even though she didn't know the paternity of her unborn child she wouldn't allow Randy to be the father. The baby – no matter who the actual father was – was Officer Barbrady's. "You'll get your trial by combat tomorrow evening!"


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26:

She took the advice from the cops and volunteered to help Mary McDaniels wherever possible even if she didn't want her too.

"It'll take a while, but she'll come around. What we did was way worse." Detective Murphy explained when she asked how they managed to get back on Mary's good side. Even after they were members of a racist cult that tried to get Mary McDaniels out of office in favour of Mitch Conner.

"I'm done with Randy. I just want my friend back." She wished she'd listened to her. Even Alexander McDaniels – Mary's eldest son – and Officer Barbrady were trying to tell her Mary didn't want any of this, but she was too angry at the time to listen to reason.

"Getting the other women." Mitch coughed and named Laura Tucker, Linda Stotch and Maggie Yates as gossipy witches. "To stop talking shit about her will help. Mary's stubborn as fuck so it'll take a lot of ass kissing."

"Is it true?" She had to ask. Rumours spread quickly amongst the other survivors and even the new people Mary's parents had brought with them from Breckenridge knew about it. "She's pregnant?"

"She is?" Peterson confirmed it. "They're organising a supply run for baby stuff. You could volunteer for that."

"I heard the kid is your ex husband's." Murphy inhaled cigarette smoke. They'd just come back from a perimeter check and were taking a quick break before beginning construction on the wall.

"Don't say that to Mary's face whatever you do just don't." Mitch warned the other officers to keep their mouths shut. "I don't know about you but I don't want to get banished."

She was shocked to hear this information. "That baby isn't Randy's anyway. It's impossible for it to be my ex husband's child."

They looked dumbfounded. "What?"

"Randy micro waved his balls and gave himself testicular cancer." She remembered it well. Her ex husband was after medicinal weed and he didn't have a condition that would qualify him for it. He resorted to stupid and drastic measures to give himself a condition that would let him qualify for medicinal weed. "His balls are plastic. He couldn't even get me pregnant if he tried."

They were stunned. She knew they remembered the medicinal pot craze that led to dozens of men in South Park – not just Randy – giving themselves cancer just so they could get pot.

"You might want to tell Mary that." Peterson suggested with urgency. "She's freaking out about this."

He was right of course. Even though she knew Mary might not want to talk to her she had to try. She needed to know there was no way Randy Marsh could be the father of her unborn child.

XXXX

"We need to get out of here." She insisted leaving was urgent. Even though she hadn't found any evidence of the experiments Yates and Government Guy were talking about it was enough information for her to feel uncomfortable. "We can find shelter before it gets dark and head to the coast. It'll be safer there."

"I already asked to stay." She noticed Liane was eyeing Government Guy as he made his rounds through the party speaking to numerous guests. "This place has proper shelter, warm beds, hot showers and food."

"Classi?" The towel wandered up to them and offered them cold drinks. The sun was setting and the sky had turned vibrant shades of pink and orange. "It's a sight to see you man."

"Hey homie." She heard Towelie was alive and she remembered Mackey talking about experiments he and Towelie were working on for the Westwood and the big bad Government Guy. She figured she should ask the towel what the experiments were. "What's this about experiments?"

"Experiments?" Towelie instantly denied knowing anything about it and insisted she was being paranoid. He excused himself and didn't even look at her when he walked away.

"You should give this place a chance Classi." Liane obviously didn't see it. She was too caught up in the façade of the place to notice it for what it really was. "We could have a proper life here like before."

She was going mad because it was painfully obvious she was the only one who could see it. Since Towelie was no help she figured she could get to Mr. Mackey who ran around Westwood like a headless chicken. "I ain't staying here any longer than I have to. I'm packing my bags tonight. If you were smart you'd do the same."

She didn't even listen to Liane who assured her there was nothing to worry about. She was always taught to trust her instincts and her instincts told her she had to get out of this place sooner rather than later.

XXXX

"I still don't want to talk to you, but I guess I have to." She settled her young children in their nursery. It was time for their afternoon nap. Sharon had insisted on talking to her about Randy. "This isn't about the trial by combat is it?"

"No." Sharon looked nervous, but she also wanted to tell her something. "It's about your baby."

"I didn't plan on any of this. I will be keeping the child." She proceeded to pick up toys and baby clothes just for something to do.

"It's not Randy's." She stopped in her tracks and dropped the teddy bear she was holding when Sharon blurted this out.

"There's a chance it could be and I know you know it." Sharon didn't even seem mad any more. She didn't even know what they were talking about it.

"He's got plastic balls Mary." Even Sharon confirmed it. It was one of the first things her husband told her when she started panicking over the baby's paternity.

"Plastic balls?" She knew about the pot scheme, but not how it affected Randy Marsh.

"They're plastic prosthetic balls. He's sterile." Sharon assured her there was no possible way the baby growing in her womb was Randy's.

"He can't have any more kids? This baby is George's." She collapsed in her nursing chair in shock. She was so relieved. Her baby's father was George Barbrady not Randy Marsh.

"He couldn't even get me pregnant."Sharon told her of the scheme in more detail. Randy had even been told after his balls were removed and he was fitted with the prosthetics that he wouldn't be able to produce any more children.

While she was relieved her husband was the father she still felt the guilt over what she'd done. "I never wanted this. Does he realise he's sterile?"

"He's been told he's sterile. The doctors told me he's sterile. He should know it." She let Sharon help her back to her master bedroom so she could rest. She was starting to feel nauseated again.

"He thinks the baby's his." She covered herself in warm blankets. She still didn't have a champion for Randy's ridiculous trial by combat yet. She didn't even want to think about it. "I don't think he realises he's sterile."

"I'll make him realise." Sharon assured her before closing the door behind her and allowing her to rest.

XXXX

"I know I said I wouldn't sneak out again but we need to find out who can keep the zombies away." She announced as the kids were playing board games with the girls beating the boys in any game they played.

"You're mom will freak and I don't want to piss the mayor off." Kyle said as he rolled the dice and took his turn. They were playing Monopoly.

"Me either." Stan smirked as Kyle landed on Mayfair which Stan owned along with Park Lane. He laughed and insisted Kyle pay up rent. "You know you can't beat me at board games dude."

Kyle groaned and reluctantly handed over the money. Stan was the only player on par with the girls. She later learned that he started playing board games more seriously with his grandpa when he realised it kept him away from freemium games and his grandpa away from gambling and the pokie machines at the casino.

"I want to go outside anyway." She was getting bored staying inside. When they woke up that morning the cabin was surrounded by three feet of snow. The cops even had to clear the doorway just so they could get in and out of the cabin for their perimeter checks. The wall wasn't complete yet and her father, the cops and the council just put up the steel frame. The adults were organising another supply run, but if the weather kept up like this she knew her mother would call it off.

"Dude we can't even walk anywhere." Scott Malkinson lost two hundred dollars of his monopoly money to Wendy.

Dovahkiin looked out the window and noticed more snow coming down. "We may even get snowed in. Looks like Mr. Marsh is stuck in that barn."

"Don't even think about it poser." Her cousin Pete warned her against it. Peter and the Goth kids sat on the bay windows smoking and drinking coffee and reading occult books as they watched the snow fall outside. "I'm telling Aunt Mary if you even try. She said no teleporting. That rule includes you Timmy."

"T-Timmy." They both grumbled in frustration. She knew Timmy wanted to know who kept the zombies away as much as she did.

"At this rate we won't get to the experiment until spring." She reluctantly returned her attention to the game and took her turn.

XXXX

"This is inhumane!" He complained loudly. He knew the guards outside the barn could hear him. He'd had very little to eat, no water and he shivered through thin clothing. From what he could see outside the barn he was imprisoned in the property was covered in thick fresh snow. The wind blew through the cracks and his teeth started chattering. No matter what he tried he just couldn't get warm. "Can I at least get a jacket? I'm cold."

Murphy dropped a bucket of water on his head from the hay loft and left him to rot in his misery. Despite his situation he was determined to win his trial by combat. As far as he knew Mary hadn't chosen a champion yet. He had no idea who he would be fighting later that evening. The only thing that kept him going was the possibility Mary's baby was his child. He grinned knowing he got the better of the bumbling idiot Police Chief Barbrady.

If they thought he was harsh on them back at camp the others had no idea what was coming. Even though Mary hadn't officially agreed to anything he knew he'd be able to regain control as leader of the new South Park she was building. Once he did anyone who had wronged him would wish they hadn't.

"Keep it brief." Johnson was saying to Sharon when he let her in to see him.

"S-Sharon?" He was the last person he was expecting to see. "You're going to get me out right?" He only asked because even before the outbreak and no matter how sick and tired she was he could always get her to bail him out of jail when he needed her to.

"No." She said tartly. "You brought this on yourself Randy."

Taken aback he fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. He could feel the pins and needles in his legs. "You always bail me out! Why are you here if you're not going to help me?"

"You're not the father of Mary's baby Randy you're sterile." It was a blow to his ego. Despite this he remained convinced he was the father.

"How do you know it isn't mine Sharon? Are you jealous I didn't get you pregnant?" She looked pissed and he didn't care if she punched him. He'd lost interest in her as a lover long before the outbreak even started.

"You have plastic balls Randy. The doctors told you this after you micro waved your balls." She reminded him of his scheme to get medicinal weed and it being the reason for his infertility. "You can't have any more kids with me or Mary McDaniels or anyone for that matter."

Another blow to the ego and there was only so much he could take as hot rage filled him. "The fat idiot isn't the father Sharon!"

"Just leave Mary and the first family alone!" Sharon stormed out when she had nothing else to say.

XXXX

"Mayor? May I come in?" It was PC Principal at the door and whatever he wanted to talk about seemed urgent. Knowing Peter Charles he wouldn't enter her room unless she gave him consent to do so.

"Come in." She'd settled in bed alongside Barbrady who just finished in the shower. They both needed rest and she wanted a nap before Randy's ridiculous trial that would be held in her equestrian arena later that evening. The temperature outside dropped and she knew she would need more fuel for the generators soon in order to keep the cabin powered and heated. She quickly added it to the supply run list she was working on before she'd had the chance to forget.

"I'll be your champion against Randy Marsh." She was shocked. PC Principal had children and she wondered what Principal Victoria would say.

"I'm confident I'll win and I get a free pass at Marsh every time he uses a micro aggression or says anything that isn't PC. I've already spoken to Vicky and she doesn't mind letting me do this." Something was bothering him. She could tell by looking at him.

"Why would you do this for me?" She didn't want to choose a champion herself and made sure that people who wanted to be the champion volunteered out of their own free will and not her influence. No matter how urgently she needed a champion.

"I'll admit I wish I didn't let him into the PC fraternity ma'am." She could see the guilt on his face and she didn't realise he regretted it as much as he did. "While I like it when other bros become PC I'm not okay when people take it too far. Nothing Randy Marsh has done since I recruited him has been PC."

"You realise this is a fight to the death right." Her husband was trying to read a _Game of Thrones_ novel since it's likely where Randy's idea came from.

"I do and for my kids I won't die. They already lost their mother to the ads. They won't lose me too." Strong Woman had fled South Park when she was exposed. The ads were still in town just before the outbreak.

She gave him the option to back out if he wanted it. She couldn't force anyone to volunteer and she wished Randy Marsh wasn't making her do this. Jimbo Kern even tried and failed to talk Randy out of this trial by combat business on his family's behalf. "Are you sure you want to do this Peter?"

"I'm sure. I'll be your champion." When she knew he wouldn't change his mind PC Principal left to train for the big fight while she and her husband took a much needed afternoon nap.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27:

"You better find shelter before nightfall. It's going to get cold."She barely listened to Sergeant Harrison Yates has he gave the orders to open the gate.

"I'm not going."Liane hadn't even packed her bags. While she spent time packing Liane had put her stuff away in the closet provided for them. "I-I can't go back out there. I just can't"

"You got to be fucking kidding me right?" She saved Liane's life in the woods. She'd been dragging Liane along the ride ever since. She saved her ass countless times and this was how she repaid her for it. The betrayal stung. She felt the hot rage swelling inside her. "After all that time you're just going to ditch me so you can bang the big bad?"

"That isn't a life Classi. I don't want to be cold, tired and hungry anymore. I don't want to be outside during winter. I've made up my mind."Liane could not be swayed. No matter what she couldn't talk her out of her foolish decision.

"Are you going or staying?"Yates asked with urgency as the men on the wall looked nervous. "I'm closing the gate so you better make up your mind now."

"Fine."She slung her backpack over her shoulder and stormed out of Westwood without looking back. She hoped Liane could hear her. "You'll probably just hold me back anyway."

XXXX

PC Principal trained against the cops. He didn't have much time to train and they were holding Randy's trial that evening. Even after her nap she still wasn't refreshed. The baby's paternity weighed heavily on her mind even though both her husband and Sharon Marsh had confirmed that Randy Marsh is sterile and it just wasn't possible. She still wondered how Barbrady even put up with her after all she'd done. To her surprise he still supported her and he had his arm around her shoulder as they supervised the last minute training.

PC Principal knocked Peterson out cold with one blow. He might be strong and Randy might be chained in the barn without the advantage of added training, but she still worried her side could lose.

"I think he'll win. He is strong enough if he can beat up my men."Barbrady seemed confident. He asked again that morning if he could take Peter's place and drag Randy through the mud. She refused to let him. It was bad enough there was a chance they could lose PC Principal during the fight.

"It looks like he'll win."Katherine was going through a red leather bound occult book like she was looking for something. Her young daughter and the other kids gathered around to watch the training.

She realised that even though she didn't like the idea they would have to learn combat and survival skills in order to survive the new would. It was supposed to be part of their new school curriculum but she'd been so preoccupied with Randy and his stupid trial she hadn't had the time to implement it.

"You'll help train the children won't you Peter?"She asked after Mitch and Murphy lost a round of fighting against him.

"Sure thing Mayor."He chugged two bottles of water and a Gatorade. "Anyone else? Any other challengers?"

"Save it for tonight Peter. You need energy for that fight."She didn't want him worn out for his fight. She even made sure he'd had a proper meal beforehand while Randy Marsh would be lucky to get breadcrumbs.

"What makes you think he won't lose?"Alexander asked Katherine as Keisha told McDaniels she'd volunteer to watch the little kids back at the cabin while the trial took place.

"Pc Principal's name isn't in here."She'd been through the book dozens of times. "It doesn't look like Mr. Marsh's name is in here either, but he could still lose."

"Let me know as soon as his name turns up in that book kid."She took her husband back to the cabin with her. She wanted some time alone before she started preparing dinner. After the evening meal she would know the fates of both Randy Marsh and Peter Charles Principal.

XXXX

She wished she had more clothes. Liane was right about one thing. Westwood was warm. It was about the only thing she did like about it. She just couldn't trust the Big Bad Government Guy and his leadership. Westwood looked nice. It drew people in because it reminded them of what it was like before the apocalypse started. They lived under the illusion that they were safe. She quickly realised that despite the cold she would rather be where she was. She recalled a conversation with her goddaughter Katherine McDaniels Barbrady – formally Katherine Holloway before Mayor McDaniels and Officer Barbrady adopted her – about a Big Bad Government Guy. The same one in charge of Westwood fit Kat's description of Government Guy who tried to blow up South Park and made a cover story about a Taco Bell coming to South Park. They were determined no one outside South Park knew about the Nazi zombies that plagued South Park at the time.

Katherine and even Randy Marsh had suspected something was up from the beginning. The other thing that unnerved her was the mention of experiments and how Towelie denied knowledge of it and brushed her off.

She wasn't as far enough away from the town of Westwood as she'd like to be. Since Liane Cartman had chosen a man over a friend she decided to go looking for Katherine or anyone else she might know. She knew Mary McDaniels had a cabin in the mountains and that's exactly where she was planning on going. She'd been once before just after Katherine's adoption was made official. Mayor McDaniels asked her to be Katherine's Godmother and since she couldn't decide between them both Big Gay Al and Mr. Slave were asked to be Katherine's godfathers.

It was going to be a hike just to get to the cabin. She didn't care. If Katherine and her family were there she knew she could trust them. She just wished she'd thought to take extra food and warmer clothes for her trip. At the very least she had her sword back to protect her from the dead and in this cold they moved much slower. She pulled her fluffy leopard print jacket around her and trudged up the hill. Anywhere was better than Westwood.

XXXX

He wondered if maybe Classi could lead him to Barbrady. He had a feeling his former superior was still alive. Even though they were best friends in the past he felt nothing but searing hatred for Police Chief George Barbrady. Because they left him behind on the roof he had no choice but to amputate his own hand.

Even though the good people of Westwood found him and patched him up even fitting him with what he thought was a pretty sweet prosthetic he still yearned for revenge.

He even managed to convince Government Guy – who was preoccupied with seducing Liane Cartman to his bed – that Classi was a threat to Westwood and she would – if she found other people – bring them back to their town and wage war on them. There were plenty of people living in the wilderness with the dead would want to take a place such as Westwood for themselves. The minute he said that he smirked. He had Big Bad Government Guy by the balls. He knew the one thing he feared most was losing the town, the respect from the people and his leadership. He smirked and used this to his advantage.

"You can leave on your mission tomorrow morning."Government Guy said just has he handpicked his team to accompany him. "Too much snow tonight and you may as well stay for the party and tonight's entertainment. You are part of it after all."

"I just need to organise a few things first sir."He introduced the team he'd handpicked and Government Guy gave them approval to leave with him at dawn. "I'll need supplies for the trip as well. My team needs to eat."

"I'll have Mackey pack bags for all of you."Government Guy assured him everything would be taken care of . "Just relax and enjoy the show for now."

He intended to. At least he had something to focus on while he waited for daybreak.

XXXX

She was able to pick up her pace and she knew she wasn't too much further from her destination. She just hoped she hadn't trudged all this way in the freezing cold for nothing. Bitter cold blew through her clothes. She wasn't going to make it before nightfall and looking at the sky she knew it was going to rain. Up ahead she noticed a small shack and then an abandoned farmhouse. It would have to do for now as she'd fallen over twice trudging through the snow. She wished she had a horse because at least it would get her there quicker. She quickly searched the property when she got to it. The shack was warm enough on its own and had plenty of dry hay bales that would make suitable bedding. She decided to check the farmhouse as well since it could have extra supplies she might need inside. Peering through the windows she couldn't see any movement inside but that didn't mean the house was empty. Other people may have made it theirs or a few dead fucks were trapped inside, which usually turned out to be the case in most properties she checked when she roamed the wilderness with Liane.

As soon as she broke the lock on the door she made a whistling sound hoping to attract any zombies roaming inside. She whistled again and proceeded to knock loudly just to be sure. She jumped out of her skin when she heard a dog whining behind her. She was shocked to see a full grown wolf staring at her and she realised her whistling must've alerted it. He was tall and if the grey and white beast lunged it would easily overpower her. She withdrew her sword from its sheath. If the animal was a threat she could always make a warmer coat from its pelt and make a meal with the meat from the animal. She didn't come this far to become a wolf's dinner. The wolf lowered his head in submission and whined. All it wanted was to come inside. He was just as wet, cold, tired and hungry as she was. She was stunned, but figured she could use the company. At the very least she could use him against good old Sergeant Yates when he finally came from her. If he hadn't started yet she knew he was going to pursue her.

"Come on homie."The wolf followed her inside and merely watched as she barricaded the house preparing to spend the night. "Maybe they got dog food you can have."

XXXX

She hadn't seen all of Westwood yet. The arena was massive and people started piling in and took their seats. The party had just begun according to Government Guy.

"That was just a barbeque picnic so the kids didn't miss out on the fun." Government Guy told her.

He had his arm around her as he led her inside and they took their seats. She was starting to like him and didn't mind him holding her hand.

"What's going on?" She still didn't know what to expect from the festivities they had planned for the people of Westwood. She looked around and noticed she was the only one clueless and therefore not over excited as they were. She sat quietly next to Mr. Mackey with Towelie seated nearby. At least there were people she knew in Westwood. She wondered what Eric would have thought of this place.

"I'm betting on Yates, the undefeated champion." Towelie put some of his weed stash into the betting pool. There was a bookie going around in case anyone wanted to place a bet.

"Is this a fight?" She asked as the crowd's excitement peaked her interest.

"If you thought cage fighting was good before you should see it now." Towelie said as Yates and another man were circling each other in the arena.

"Come on Government Guy let em' loose!" Yates shouted as four tethered zombies surrounded Yates and his opponent with each one trying and failing to grab at the pieces of meat that taunted them in the arena.

"T-this is entertainment?" She was in two minds about what she saw. The people cheering in the crowd didn't see the threat in the arena. Yates was doing a good job pissing one rotting bag of flesh off and if that one was let loose he'd lunge. The male zombie who'd been dead for quite some time lunged at Yates who remained just out of reach.

Yates threw his head back and laughed. "Come and get me pussy!"

The oblivious crowd cheered for him. She suddenly recognised the man he was fighting and he stood no chance against Harrison Yates who used to be Police Chief Barbrady's right hand man on the South Park Police Force. It was one of the _Star Trek_ dorks that used to live across the street from her during the outbreak.

"This isn't a fight to the death is it?" She asked suddenly feeling like she'd faint. The idea repulsed her. It was absolutely barbaric.

Yates let one of the zombies off its chain and pushed the snarling dead man towards his defenceless opponent. "Go get him!"

Harrison didn't even have to fight. The zombie chased his meal around the arena until he ran out of breath and lunged at its exhausted target. When the beast was distracted and eating Yates drove the blade fitted to his prosthetic into the zombie and the dead man's skulls respectively.

"We don't ever let our own turn." Government Guy told her as he handed her a drink.

She drained it in disbelief. There were still three more rounds and three more challengers to go. It was going to be a long night.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28:

She felt safer with the wolf beside her. She thought such a hungry animal would have made a meal out of her. Humans, animals and zombies all had one thing in common. They needed to eat in order to survive. She rummaged through every draw, cupboard and closet she could find. She even found a coat that was for more suitable for the weather than the one she was wearing. She changed into jeans and dressed in extra layers. Clothes she found in one of the closets upstairs were her size. There were bigger backpacks left behind and she transferred all her stuff into a backpack made for hiking and travelling outdoors.

"You in luck home boy." She told the wolf as he trotted along beside her. She rummaged through the pantry. There wasn't much left but she found dog food for the wolf and a can of spaghetti-os she could eat. Since she didn't plan on staying at the farmhouse for long she didn't care how tidy it was. She plopped the dog food meet on the ground and watched the wolf eagerly lap it up and ate her spaghetti-os straight from the tin can while it snowed heavily outside.

"Snow ain't letting up." She smirked since she knew Yates would try coming after her. She could see it in his face the day she left Westwood. If the snow wouldn't let her travel to the cabin in the mountains it certainly wouldn't let Yates travel to pursue her. She had a good head start and if she needed him to she had Wolf to protect her along with her own blade. She giggled as she smoked the last of her medication. The wolf let her lean her arm across his back and scratch him behind his ear. "Suck it Harrison Yates."

XXXX

The men he handpicked to accompany him were pussies. They started bitching and moaning about the trip as soon as Westwood was out of sight behind them. He didn't know these guys before the apocalypse and only saw one of the Big Bad Government Guy's soldiers during the Nazi zombie outbreak that hit South Park after the UFO crashed and spilled noxious green goo everywhere.

"Aw seriously?!" One man groaned. He didn't know him well and couldn't even remember his name, but Government Guy told him he was ready for his first mission outside of Westwood. He hadn't even been on a supply run before and had spent his days inside the walls when the plague first started. "A snowstorm?"

"Are you from Colorado boy?" He asked with annoyance as they were losing track of Classi. She had a good head start and he wanted to get to her and find his old superior before she had the chance to get to Mary's cabin. He almost forgot about the place, but he had helped Barbrady with many protection details for Mary McDaniels, their children at this cabin. It would be the only place liveable in the God forsaken mountains. As long as they made good pace they could be there on foot in a couple of days and maybe even catch up to Classi.

"N-No." The man shivered under several layers. He told them men to dress warmly since it was going to be a bit of a hike. It wasn't just the roaming dead fucks, but the weather was against them as well.

"Where are you from?" He asked even though he didn't really care.

"F-F-Florida." His teeth were chattering. The others were just as cold as he was and the wind picked up around them blowing snow. Visibility was limited and they would have to stop and find shelter before they could continue.

Even he knew the whining soldier was right and they would have to continue when the weather allowed. They were exposed to the elements in the middle of nowhere and could freeze to death before the dead had a chance to eat their brains. "Fine. There's a farmhouse up ahead pussies. We'll stop for the night."

XXXX

He would never admit it to anyone, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous about his upcoming trial. He was over confident at the time and was expecting to fight the fat old bumbling idiot Police Chief Barbrady. He still couldn't understand what Mary saw in the fat idiot. Barbrady had taken everything from him and Mary denied him his right to his revenge. He stewed wishing he could train even just a little before the fight. He knew Mary would be training her own champion. He could see the dark grey clouds that loomed overhead. Specks of pink criss-crossed the sky displaying just a hint of sunset through the dark grey gloom.

He wondered who his opponent was going to be since it was obvious it wasn't going to be Barbrady. The one person he wanted to fight. He thought he had Mary in a bind but she may as well have kicked him in the balls. It was a compromise he didn't like. There were even people he didn't recognise amongst the group and he'd seen glimpses of them through the cracks in the barn. He could be fighting anyone of them and he slumped again in disappointed when no amount of eavesdropping would reveal his challenger. He started to sulk because nothing was going his way. He set up the camp and kept them all safe. He saved Mary's life when the Big Bad Government Guy could have and would have killed her back at Hell's Pass Hospital. They repaid him with betrayal. He felt physically weak and even though he'd had hardly any food he ejected the contents of his stomach. He cursed them all to hell. No matter who his opponent was he'd beat them and Mary would have to relinquish her leadership. He wouldn't give her a choice once he had his way. He smirked as the barn doors creaked open. The Mayor's eldest son Officer Alexander Preston McDaniels – a man he hated with a passion since he refused to support the pc movement – greeted him along with Officer Foley and Officer Peterson.

"Get up Marsh it's time to die." He didn't say anything and let them drag him out without kicking up a fuss. Since he wouldn't be restrained during the fight nothing could stop him if he wanted to escape. No matter how it played out someone was going to die that night and it wasn't going to be him.

XXXX

She wondered if she'd made a terrible mistake. She didn't know what to think about the fights she witnessed that evening. She watched as Yates and his handpicked team left Westwood for their mission. She didn't know what that mission was and opted not to ask about it. She felt the jab of guilt since she had decided to stay in Westwood rather than go with Classi. Despite this guilt she didn't want to spend time scavenging in the wilderness with nowhere safe to sleep.

"I'm sorry about your friend Liane." He wrapped his strong arms around her. She hadn't had a man in her life in a long time. He was growing on her. She wanted to know more about him and she wondered at the same time if she could convince Classi to come back.

"I just don't want to live out there. Is that such a bad thing?" She failed to understand what Classi's problem with Westwood was. There was nothing wrong with the place and the apartment she stayed in while small was better than the green house she had back in South Park.

"It's not a bad thing to want safety and security. People need that these days. It's harsh out there. You'd know that better than almost everyone here. Except for perhaps Harrison." He took her by the hand and led her to the small courtyard outside his apartment. She didn't realise her apartment came with one as well and she could put any kind of plant she wanted the space would allow. "Some people grow their own herbs."

She felt guilty for her part back in Denver. She was part of the supply run that led to Police Chief Barbrady handcuffing Harrison Yates to the rooftop. She didn't even remember who had dropped the key amongst all that chaos. "I didn't mean to leave Harris behind."

"He doesn't blame you Ms. Cartman." Big Bad Government Guy poured her a glass of whisky. She needed it. She hadn't had alcohol or used any drugs since the apocalypse started. "He didn't even mention your name. He keeps bitching about this Officer Barbrady."

"Please call me Liane." She felt comfortable around him. She even opened up. She used to be friends with officer Barbrady and Mayor McDaniels. She wasn't even sure if she still were should they be alive. "They used to be best friends."

She wasn't expecting it. She even opened up about losing her son. The chaos at camp and everything that had happened since the dead started walking.

"You'll be safe here Liane." He assured her with a tender kiss and wrapped her in a tight embrace. One she eagerly returned. Kisses between them became more passionate as he led her into his apartment. She hadn't seen it from the inside before. She was still only new to Westwood. Even though he was the leader of Westwood his apartment was small like hers. His living room had a working fireplace and modern furniture including a soft leather couch. She hadn't felt the excitement of being with someone new for a long time. She only ever worked and rarely had time for dating. Passionate kissing became passionate lovemaking as she allowed herself to enjoy the moment.

XXXX

At least she had company again. Wolf was just the companion she needed. She knew Wolf would stay loyal. She was still bitter about Liane Cartman choosing Westwood and the gross Big Bad Government Guy over their friendship.

"Maybe I should take out his other eye." She told Wolf as they trudged up yet another incline. As soon as it looked like there was a break in the snow they left the farmhouse and started for the cabin. She was hoping to find an abandoned working car with some fuel remaining just so they could get there faster. If her goddaughter were at the cabin with her adoptive mother and father she knew they'd appreciate another random car plus any other supplies she might still have with her when she got there.

She could tell Wolf was cold. He trotted on ahead just to keep warm. She couldn't find a dog jacket at the farmhouse they stayed at despite looking for one. "It'll be warm when we get there. That place is better than my old Classi apartment."

She spun around quickly the minute Wolf let lose a low threatening growl. "Oh hell no!"

She broke into a run when she saw them. It was too cold and she didn't have the energy to fight all of them. Wolf noticed Yates and other men from Westwood before she did. She withdrew her Katana from its sheath and prepared herself. She'd rather evade them. The gun she carried didn't have any bullets and she didn't want them firing their weapons at Wolf.

"Get back here!" She screamed at Wolf genuinely concerned for his safety.

Wolf did not yield. He dispatched the men Yates had with him before they had the chance to open fire on them. Wolf's howling unnerved her and she could see obvious fear plastered across Sergeant Harrison Yate's ugly mug.

"You better run bitch!" She whirled around and drove her Katana through the skull of a walking dead woman that heard all the ruckus. The dead were drawn to their prey by sound so she tried to remain quiet whenever possible.

Wolf had made short work of it. Harrison's men were dead. That didn't mean they'd stay dead. She broke into a run and took them all out before they had the chance to make a meal out of Wolf.

She noticed the glint of a dark blue car up ahead. The vehicle worked and still had some fuel. She took the bags from their corpses and even the warm jackets and beanies they were wearing. There was only one decapitated corpse she didn't touch once she took his backpack. There was plenty of extra canned food and even a good bottle of Riesling. She gave Wolf a grateful scratch behind his ear and he hopped in the backseat of the car she found when she told him to. She kept the bottle of wine on the passenger seat with her belongings. She knew that she'd be at the cabin well before Yates. "I know Mary's gonna like this."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29:

Her stomach twisted and churned. She desperately needed to vomit. She hoped that she could rein it in during the fight. PC Principal assured her he was trained, rested and ready. He looked keen even jumping up and down on the spot while he waited for the trial to begin.

"I won't let you down Mayor." He announced eagerly just as Alexander and the other cops were bringing Randy Marsh in.

People were getting excited. _Randy Marsh wanted this_. She told herself. _If he should lose it's his own fault_.

Randy had yet to know who his opponent was. She made sure no one mentioned it in casual conversation especially not while on guard duty at the barn. As far as she was concerned Randy was fighting blind.

She smirked. Randy Marsh honestly thought he had the upper hand in this fight. He wasn't in control anymore and he was the last person who should be in charge of the new South Park. She stood up to address Randy Marsh and the crowd. Almost everyone in the new town had turned up for it.

"Mr. Marsh." The crowd became silent when she started speaking. She had discussed his charges with the council that morning. He was also going down for crimes he'd committed before the dead roamed the Earth. "You are hereby charged with multiple counts of assault, poisoning almost everyone with your Tegridy Farms Halloween Special, murder, destruction of property, trespassing, sexual assault and rape. By demanding a trial by combat you have pleaded guilty to all these charges."

She hadn't felt this powerful or in control in a long time. She first started to notice that Randy Marsh was pushing her out of her job when they decided to bring in Whole Foods in an attempt to better the town, be more progressive and disconnect from their association with President Garrison. She smirked when his face fell in disbelief. _You wanted this you got it Mr. Marsh._ She thought bitterly.

"South Park was nothing without Tegridy Farms!" Randy screamed at her. The crowed started clamouring and pelted him with rocks they found in her courtyard. "South Park was nothing without me!" He dodged the projectiles thrown at him as he addressed the clamouring crowd. "I'm the one who set up camp, I'm the one the one that made the old South Park better, I'm the one that got you assholes out of town when shit started to go down and the dead fucks started eating people!"

Nausea overwhelmed her when he locked eyes on her. "I saved your life Mary. I saved the idiot's life. You'd both be dead if it weren't for me!"

She didn't want to be reminded of it. He had saved her life from the Big Bad Government Guy just as he aimed a shotgun in her face the day they stormed Hell's Pass Hospital. He did barricade the door so the dead couldn't get to her husband who lay in a coma. She didn't want to be reminded of it. She wasn't grateful to him for anything. He used her for years to get his own way on council and he used her back at camp and treated her like a slave. She was done. She was done being a puppet. She cut the strings and became her own leader. The one she always wanted to be.

"ENOUGH!" The crowd silenced as her shouting reverberated around the arena she usually used for horseback riding. "No one is bailing you out Marsh. You've made your bed and now you must lay in it."

"Fine!" Randy removed his shirt and threw it in the dust. "Let's do this bitch!"

"I'm not the champion Marsh!" Because of her pregnancy she couldn't and wouldn't fight him herself as much as she wanted to. She had the abilities of a Gua hybrid and longed to use them against him. She resisted the urge because she knew her husband wouldn't let her.

"You're not fighting me either." Alexander and the cops removed his restraints and the quickly took their seats in the arena.

"Well come on then!" Randy was known amongst people originally from South Park for his trash talk and he didn't hesitate to let his over confidence show. "Come on whoever you are! I'm standing right here! Come on let's go bitch!"

Peter Charles Principal aimed a right hook punch to Randy's face and clocked him in the jaw.

"Aw! No fair!" Randy whined after he regained composure. "I should get the first swing!"

PC Principal struck him again and again aiming rapid punches to Randy's face. "You sir are a disgrace to the South Park PC fraternity chapter!"

She allowed herself to sit next to her husband and relax a little since Peter Charles Principal was on a roll. So far Randy launched one swing at his opponent and it fell flat sending him face first into the dust as he stumbled over his own shoelaces.

XXXX

He cursed Classi and the beast that travelled with her. The wolf mauled his men and he'd have to explain it to Big Bad Government Guy when he returned to Westwood.

He swerved to avoid a rotted corpse that looked like she'd been dead for months.

"What an ugly skank?!" He said aloud as he drove the blade fitted to his prosthetic arm through the dead fuck's skull.

He swore to himself that he'd get both Classi and his former superior the dim witted Police Chief George Barbrady back even if it's the last thing he did. He smirked as he liked the thought of fashioning himself a nice pelt from the wolf's hide. It was cold and he hurried back to Westwood as quickly as his legs and the dead surrounding him would allow. Despite the fact that he wanted revenge he longed to return to Westwood. It was warm and they had food. He missed his bed. He realised that he probably should've listened to his new superior the Big Bad Government Guy when he told him not to bother with his personal revenge mission especially not during winter.

He knew he'd have to lie about what happened to the men he'd taken with him. Big Bad Government Guy wouldn't be pleased to hear about dead men when he returned. He considered himself good at spinning believable lies. It wasn't until the tail end of her election campaign that Mary McDaniels realised he'd turned the police department – excluding Community Officer Alexander Preston McDaniels her first born son and her husband and lover Police Chief George Barbrady – they were not cult members and they were not part of the plot to vote Mary McDaniels out of office thus putting Mitch Conner in the mayor's office at South Park city hall and allowing him to run his police department however he wanted without Mayor Mary McDaniels breathing down his neck about something stupid he or any of his officers may have done that week.

Realising this he knew he could convince the Big Bad Government Guy to believe him no matter what web of lies he told him.

XXXX

Both men circled each other like vultures circling a dead animal on the side of the road deep in the baron dessert. She wanted to focus on the fight. She didn't want PC Principal to lose. If he lost she lost. She had only just taken her power back. She didn't want Randy Marsh to have any claim whatsoever on her unborn child.

The baby was restless and almost bowled her over when she returned to her seat. It was the third time during the trial by combat Randy had demanded she had to excuse herself to use the bathroom.

"Mom?" Alexander had gone back to the cabin – which they now referred to as the main house or the Mayor's house and they even from time to time called it city hall with the construction of the new South Park well underway – to check on his wife Keisha and the smaller children. He passed her three paper bags. "In case you need to puke."

She took them from him and used one immediately. Once she wretched she couldn't will it to stop. She blew chunks that blew out the bottom of the bag. All she could taste was bile.

"Eew!" Kids nearby scooted away from her so they wouldn't get sprayed if she needed to vomit again. "That's really gross Mayor." Stan Marsh squealed with discussed.

"I'm pregnant kid I can't help this shit!" She took a water bottle from Alexander and chugged it. She just wanted the stupid trial by combat over with. She wanted nothing more than to go to bed. The plush mattress and flannelette sheets beckoned. Once Peter Charles Principal was finished with Randy Marsh she could rest without having to worry. At least not worry about his constant stalking and incredibly creepy behaviour that unnerved her. As soon as PC Principal was finished with Randy Marsh all she would have to worry about would be the dead and possible surviving bandits that might want to take all that she had built from her.

Despite the overwhelming urge to vomit once again she could see Randy was on his last legs. He staggered around the equestrian arena like he was drunk even though she'd deprived him of alcohol. She didn't want him to have any advantage over her champion Peter Charles Principal who barely had any scratches or bruises on his person.

His clothes were dirty from rolling in the dust as he and Randy tackled each other in a fit of masculine fuelled Rage. Every time Randy Marsh said something against PC Principal's morals he got a free pass at Randy Marsh. Randy Marsh was beneath PC Principal who sat on his legs so he couldn't move while he pummelled Randy Marsh's face with clenched fists of fury.

She ignored the urge to vomit – morning sickness was terrible with every pregnancy she had and it was even worse when she was pregnant with twins – and angrily and passionately rose to her feet. Randy Marsh was practically done for. It was a hand to hand combat fight and if Randy Marsh didn't want a trial by combat he shouldn't have demanded a trial by combat with the assumption she was going to let him fight her husband and Police Chief George Barbrady to the death. "FINISH HIM!" She screamed at Peter Charles Principal with fury as hot rage filled her.

XXXX

She could see Mary McDaniel's log cabin up ahead. It was a mansion secluded in the rocky mountains of Colorado. She couldn't wait to get inside as the snow blurred her vision. Twice she almost ran over mindless walking corpses on her way up the mountain. The snow hit hard and she desperately hoped to find her goddaughter Katherine Marie McDaniels Barbrady along with the rest of her family at the log cabin. She hoped it wasn't currently occupied by some unknown group of squatters. She honestly didn't know what she would find when she made her way inside with her new friend Wolf by her side.

The wolf's ears pricked and he lifted his head with intense interest. He seemed agitated and she herself could sense that something wasn't quite right.

"It looks like we may be killing more dead fucks homie." She told her wolf friend as they made their way up to the main cabin.

The property was immense. The main house itself had at least seven rooms that she could remember. Multiple bathrooms upstairs and downstairs, it was three stories high and constructed with wooden logs. The main house also contained two large living rooms, a large family kitchen a rumpus and games room downstairs, library and play rooms for the kids and even a small granny flat on the property for extra visitors when the occasion called for it.

She unsheathed her Katana and asked Wolf to follow along behind in case anything was amiss just as she expected it was. "Heel!"

Wolf broke into a run to chase after a figure that tried to run across the open field. Since she didn't know how zombie meat affected animals and she didn't want to find out she made sure Wolf would stay by her side at all times. To her surprise the wild animal obeyed her. "Come on."

The wolf followed her as she noticed people running from the equestrian arena Mayor McDaniels had on the property. "Oh hell no!" Swinging right to left she took out too dead fucks and proceeded to make her way towards the commotion at the equestrian arena. It was obvious to her – a classy bitch – that the living dead had broken through the perimeter. She picked up her pace when she heard children screaming. If Katherine was in there she wouldn't let any harm come to her. As the kid's godmother it was her duty to protect Katherine as though she were her own flesh and blood.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty:

She knew she shouldn't have given the New South Park Police Department time off to watch Randy Marsh's trial by combat in its entirety. It was a mistake on her part because it meant that no one was watching the perimeter and since they barely started on the construction of the wall and only the support struts had been erected the rotting dead fucks could still wander onto her property. It put everyone at risk. Just as she had taken her power back a small group of wandering corpses staggered into the equestrian arena and promptly lunged at bot Randy Marsh and Peter Charles Principal respectively. Unlike the living the dead didn't discriminate.

She quickly gathered up any squealing children she could find and ushered them outside. Since night fell during the ridiculous trial by combat it was pitch black outside. Falling snow and wind only made visibility worse. She knew her property well and urged the children towards the house.

"I don't know where we are Mayor!" Bebe Stevens cried out fearfully. She sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

"Just keep running straight ahead kids and don't look back." She told them urgently as she herself struggled to run. "The main house is straight ahead."

Chills went down her spin as a wolf howled. She didn't think about having to contend with wild animals despite the fact that her property was surrounded by forest.

"Kenny!" Stan Marsh cried as she too saw the dead man snatch the young boy away.

She knew he would come back. She didn't have to tell Katherine anything yet. Kenny McCormick was immortal and he would come back. She stopped Stan Marsh from going after him as the dead swamped him. She scooped him up in her arms and urged the other kids towards the house. "The house is straight ahead!"

"Oh my god they killed Kenny!" Stanley Marsh screamed. She ignored it and continued making her way towards the house.

"You bastards!" Kyle Broflovski cried with both fear and fury.

XXXX

She quickly realised that as everyone else ran towards the main house the dead would not come near her. She approached a zombie straggling around the equestrian arena and got close enough to tug at the dead man's tattered clothes to get his attention. He looked at her with soulless eyes and snarled. He didn't lunge at her like she expected he would. He fled from her. She walked towards him again and even started chasing the walking dead man around the equestrian arena.

 _Holy shit! It's me! I keep the dead fucks away_! She thought triumphantly. She didn't even need to leave the cabin or the property to prove it. The zombified man would not come near her no matter how close she got to him. _It's because I'm the Grim Reaper isn't it?_

"Oh god!" She shrieked aloud. She told him time and time again to be more careful. She knew he was capable. Kenny McCormick appeared before her freshly turned. He was one of them. It wasn't the first time she'd encountered a zombified Kenny McCormick since this whole mess started and quickly became a global threat not just a zombie plague confined to South Park as the old South Park had experienced many times before.

"Hell little homie!" She noticed the sword through zombie Kenny's skull before she noticed her god mother Classi and a large grey and white wolf beside her. "I thought I told you tiny cops to be more careful!"

"Classi!" She couldn't believe it. Her god mother was alive. She hadn't seen her since she got arrested for no reason back in the old South Park. She always knew she'd survive this disaster. Classi's name never appeared in _The Book of Names_. She noticed the wolf and carefully approached. When he bowed his head and let her pet him she knew they could be friends. She just wasn't so sure her cats would like him when she had trouble getting them used to Stan's dog Sparky and her adoptive father's old dog Barney. "Who's your friend?"

"Wolf. His name is wolf." She brought out her scythe and she along with her god mother Classi and wolf they took out any straggling dead fucks on the property.

XXXX

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She couldn't stop apologising. Hot and heavy tears streamed down her face. Yet again she wanted to throw up as her stomach lurched. The floodgates opened and even though it was on display for everyone to see she couldn't make it stop. "I'm so sorry!"

"What the hell happened?" Keisha McDaniels – her daughter in law – came downstairs after checking on the babies in the nursery. "Mary?"

"I'm so sorry?" She slumped in a leather chair and buried her face in her hands. She had just taken her power back and already she screwed up.

"Is everyone here?" Her aide Bob Johnson asked as he and Freddie Janson her other aide conducted a head count to make absolutely sure everyone was accounted for.

"No." Freddie Janson checked the list of names they'd created to keep track of people living at the cabin multiple times. "We're missing Kenny McCormick and…" It was like he didn't want to say it.

She lifted her head to ask. "Who Freddie! Who else is missing?" She hadn't had the chance to collect herself and regain composure before breaking the news of Kenny's death to his mother.

"K-K…" The front door swung open and Katherine emerged with her God mother Classi and what looked like a large grey and white wolf.

"Katherine?" She was stunned. She almost left her own adopted daughter behind at the equestrian arena. Amongst the chaos she couldn't even see her.

Everyone gaped at the wolf. Even she did. He was large, but seemed placid enough to be around the town's people especially the children. Katherine noticed them gaping at beast. "His name is Wolf."

XXXX

She went through the _Book of Names_ three times over. Kenny's name appeared and disappeared mid way through the heavy tome. She couldn't be sure why this was. She wondered if it had anything to do with his inability to die.

"I'm sorry kid." Her adoptive mother sat on the bed next to her. She had a bottom bunk bed in the girl's room and she liked the privacy she got from the curtain she made just for it.

"For what?" She knew her adoptive mother carried a lot of guilt especially over Cartman's scheme to send her to foster care and the other Freedom Pals to jail. She blamed Cartman and Mr. Adams for it. She knew Mayor McDaniels wouldn't have willingly signed the papers authorising it.

"I thought you were with the other kids. I didn't see you." Her mother had brought in a tray of cookies and hot chocolate for her. She was surprised there was any left even after feast Mr. Marsh ruined to get back at her mother.

"There's nothing to be sorry for." She needed to tell her what she found. "It's me."

"What?" She only looked confused and didn't know how to respond.

"You know how I said one of us kids keeps the dead fucks away right?" She wanted to do more research into it. There might even be a way for her to protect the supply runners whenever they leave the cabin.

"You promised me you wouldn't go out without supervision." Her mother reminded her tartly.

"I know." She picked up her black kitten Salem and put him on the bed. He never just jumped up on furniture. He would tap her leg with his paw and ask for permission to be on the furniture. "But it's me; _I'm_ the one that keeps them away. They wouldn't go near me in the arena. I actually had to chase them. Not even zombie Kenny would come near me."

"Is this because you're the Grim Reaper?" She initially thought it would be better not to tell her family when she first got stuck with the job. She was glad they knew. If it was ever hard and she felt like she wanted to quit she could always vent about it to them.

"Maybe." She had a feeling her mother was right. If she weren't the reaper of souls the zombies would just see her like they say any other human. They'd see her as a walking piece of meat. "Can I go on the next run?"

Her mother's face fell. She knew Mayor McDaniels was over protective of her children. She had seen her embarrass her older brother Alexander by being over protective of him. "I don't want you joining the supply run team you're only a child."

She knew she wouldn't let her go and asked any way. "I can keep the dead away from the supply run team."

She knew her mother's decision was final. No amount of puppy dog eyes would sway her. "Please? You let me go hunting."

"I'm sorry kid, but the answer is no. You still need more training in combat and weapons. It's not just the dead now. Other people could be a threat too." She helped her to check the cabin for her cats. They were all accounted for with her chubby Black and White cat Grumpy showing Wolf who was boss. She heard the hissing from the living room and noticed Wolf with his head down, legs shaking and his tail between his legs.

"You took out good old Yates's men the other day what's got into you?" Classi seemed surprised that Wolf was petrified of a small fat cat to the point he soiled himself.

"You're cleaning up after him Classi." Her mother told Classi that survivors clean up and take care of their own pets if they want them to stay. She stopped in her tracks just as Johnson finished the head count. "Yates? You mean Harrison?"

Barbrady spat out his beer in shock. "He can't be alive? All we found was a hand."

"He's alive alright." Classi confirmed this to be true. "That bitch just tried to kill me. And you better watch your ass Barbrady."

"Me? Why?" Barbrady regarded her with shock and she knew her father was becoming nervous.

"Petty revenge." Classi told them everything she'd been through since the apocalypse started. "He's got a whole town behind him and a Big Bad Government Guy. Some little bitch dude with an eye patch."

She knew who Classi was talking about. It was the same guy that was hunting her for her super powers. It was the same guy that tried to blow up the old South Park and cover up the UFO crash along with the Nazi zombies and the toxic green goo. It wasn't entirely her fault. She couldn't land the UFO and had no choice but to crash it. She lost control of it quickly and it destroyed the old South Park Mall.

She knew she would have to start training as soon as possible. She didn't want to go up against Government Guy without being able to fight properly. "Maybe we should start training. Like right now."Her mother had fainted when Classi mentioned the Big Bad Government Guy and her father was a nervous wreck. She might be just a little kid, but she took charge anyway since she knew her older brother would be focused on locating Mr. Marsh who'd escaped the arena and his trial by combat when the horde broke in. "Training for everyone starts right now."


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31:

He seethed with rage. He knew he'd have to make it back to the cabin. Even if he tried they would kill him. He was sure Mary had issued the orders for the others to shoot him if they saw him.

Revenge. It was all he could think about. When it was clear and he'd taken care of the last zombie so it was no longer a threat he scooped up snow and put it on his bruised face. He didn't understand why everyone had turned on him. He was a better leader than Barbrady ever could be. He knew he was a better man than Officer Barbrady and Mary was delusional if she thought differently.

He needed to find new shelter and rest first. Revenge would have to wait. He didn't see any other shelter on his way to the cabin since he was so determined to get there. He trudged through the snow to get as far away from it as possible because he needed the others to forget about him or think he was dead before he reappeared.

He couldn't be sure if any of the others saw him escape the dead. He hoped not. He wanted to plan his revenge more carefully this time. When he came back Mary wouldn't know what hit her and neither would the idiot.

XXXX

"You look like shit Mary." Classi spread out across the couch with Wolf in her lap. Since Randy Marsh escaped the arena and survivors saw him running from the herds no one could be sure if he were alive or dead.

"No shit." Since she was pregnant she was supposed to be resting, but with Randy on the loose and Sergeant Yates still alive and plotting revenge on her husband she couldn't rest. Nothing could settle her worried mind. She stomach lurched and she tried not to puke.

"The dead are no longer a threat Mary." Barbrady assured her that at least one was taken care of. She still didn't know what to do about Randy when fear overwhelmed her.

"Oh God!" Harrison Yates was still alive. From what Classi had told them he was hell bent on revenge against Barbrady after he cuffed him to the rooftop.

"What's wrong Mary?" Her husband asked with concern.

"What if he finds this Westwood place?" She panicked. Randy could find it. It wasn't just Harrison that wanted revenge against Police Chief George Barbrady. Randy was extremely jealous and she knew he wanted her to himself. He could bring the Big Bad Government Guy to her cabin along with his town. She didn't know how many people he had behind him.

"We'll fight." Barbrady seemed confident. He wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace. "They won't take this from us."

It was a confrontation she didn't need. Rest was the last thing she needed when she had to prepare. A war was coming and she best be ready when it did.


End file.
